


A Flame to Keep the Darkness Away

by CharlesWaterloo



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Fluff, Fluff and Angst, M/M, My First Fanfic, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-09-18
Updated: 2016-11-09
Packaged: 2018-08-15 20:02:54
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 20,915
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8070811
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CharlesWaterloo/pseuds/CharlesWaterloo
Summary: Kageyama now had three problems. Shadow wraiths. His mother. And a wish coming true he hadn’t realised he’d made.When Kageyama is accepted into Karasuno university, the last thing he expected was for the beautiful boy from his favourite sports magazine to elbow his way into his life. With shadow wraiths killing people like flies, can Kageyama develop his relationship with his mother? And can he make a different kind of relationship with someone else?Hinata hears a mysterious voice when killing a shadow wraith. Will he get an answer to who it was, six years later?ON PERMANENT HIATUS(A huge thank you to everyone who gave me so much love and support with this fic but I can't see it as going anywhere and I've been so busy with work and school. If anyone would like me to re-write it and make a proper plot I can do so. Again, thank you for all of your lovely comments. I appreciate them so much.)





	1. Amber

**Author's Note:**

> This is the first fan-fiction I have ever done. Literally. I really love Haikyuu!! It got me through some hard times. This website has killed me with all the Kagehina and I have been resurrected with loads of ideas to finally write my own. I hope you all like it. I tried really hard with this, so here goes.

Kageyama first played volleyball to try and get his mother’s attention. He had hoped that maybe she would praise him when she came home from her seemingly endless government meetings that she never talked about. Kageyama carried on playing because he had found something that he loved. With this happy realisation came a hard truth: his mother would not ever have time. She loved him, he knew deep down, but she was a busy lady. She served the country and did things for the greater good. To hope that she’d slow down just to stop and watch him was silly.  
It took him a long time, but deep down in his child’s heart, he accepted it as something real and unchangeable and let volleyball sweep him up and push him forward. So, at the tender age of six, Kageyama Tobio had come to terms with something that many others would have struggled with their whole lives. Perhaps it was this mental strength that made his mother never worry about the threat of shadow wraiths. Everyone knew they possessed the weak-minded and the depressed. And the idiots who went round without taking any precautions.  
Every child had it hammered into them. Never cover your marks with clothing that isn’t clear or light coloured, or just don’t cover them at all. The marks keep away the dark.  
Kageyama knew this, as did everyone, regardless of gender, nationality, skin colour or religion. If there was something good to be said about shadow wraiths, it would be that they made everyone equal. It didn’t matter who you were. They’d kill anyone they could get their hands on. If what was on the end of their arms qualified as hands.  
Shadow wraiths scared everyone, including Kageyama, but like most things that you live with from a young age, even if it is insane, you become used to it. Everyone went on with their lives as best they could. And if the name of a powerful politician came up in the news with headlines saying that they’d been possessed… well, people would talk about it and then it would fade. It happened. No one cared unless it happened to them.  
And so it was, in Kageyama’s world. A world of volleyball and grudging friendships and now, university. Shadow wraiths were pushed in a dark box in his mind with his mother. A dark box that somehow managed to open by itself when he least expected it. Kageyama had tried and failed to shut away his mother for a long time. His mother, the head of the department of the government that dealt with shadow wraiths. His mother that he barely knew. A mother in name only.  
Kageyama had always known that volleyball would be his career as well as his passion. It had never been the kind of thing he’d wondered about. He had just applied to the university with one of the best and most famous volleyball clubs around: Karasuno. Kageyama had tried as hard as he could in the last year of high school to get his grades up, swallowing his pride and asking for help from teachers and students. Even this hadn’t made his mother look up from her desk, but that had not been his objective. His objective had been obtaining a place, and his hard work had paid off.  
One morning he had opened the letterbox and found a letter. After opening it, he stared at it unblinkingly until his eyes had started to water. A smile spread across his face. An unusual sight, since he didn’t smile often. There it was. In writing. His ticket to endless volleyball possibilities. He allowed himself to picture it. After winning a game, someone would approach him and ask him if he was interested in joining a professional team. He would, naturally, say yes. He imagined things of this nature until his mother came home later on when the sky was black and the streetlights glowed dimly outside.  
Wordlessly, he showed her the letter. She read it quickly, then took her glasses off, tucking them into her top pocket. In the soft light of the sitting room, she looked at him. This time, she saw. She saw how she had to tilt her head back to look him the eyes. She saw the university logo at the top of the letter. She saw how much of her only child she had missed. For one moment, she was desperately sad. In the next, she made her decision. She had given her life and love to her career. She was a strong woman. She knew what she was going to do. She had missed something incredibly important for her job. It was now time for her to do the only thing she could.  
Walking upstairs, she left Kageyama alone by the sofas, puzzled. When she came down again, she handed her son a brown envelope and the last piece of her heart. Turning away, she resisted the urge to hug him, knowing that she did not have the right any longer.  
She was proud of him.  
*  
On the first day of classes at Karasuno, Kageyama was in a terrible mood. More so than usual, which was saying something. It was a combination of many different things, the first being that the sudden and dramatic increase in shadow wraith possessions made his and everyone else’s marks burn. The second, and perhaps the most annoying, was his new roommate, Tsukishima Kei. Sadly, Kageyama had known him for many years. Now he was going to have to suffer again. Another good thing about Karasuno was escaping him, but sadly this wasn’t to be. Kageyama should have known.  
He had tried several times to get put somewhere else, but everywhere else was full. He was defeated, and that made him furious. How Kageyama hated losing.  
The third and final reason was the early hour. Tsukishima had been listening to music until late into the night, meaning Kageyama wasn’t able to sleep. He had known that asking Tsukishima to turn it off would only make it worse. He was far too proud to admit it was bothering him, anyway. Damn that Tsukishima. It was alright for him. He had afternoon classes. The bastard.  
So when Kageyama sat down in class, it was with a burning glare that could have made the sun turn away in shame. People skirted around him nervously, which Kageyama took a savage pleasure in. He was early, so when he took his seat, he dragged out the latest edition of Miyagi Sport magazine. He had been embarrassed about buying it until he found out that the rest of his old team, including Tsukishima and Daichi-san, bought it as well. In Kageyama’s opinion, it was the best magazine for sporting news in all of Japan, mostly because they didn’t fill it with complicated words and they had coupons to get deals on equipment. It totally and completely wasn’t because of the orange-haired model they always used for their gym clothes adverts.  
The magazine came out every two weeks, but up until about a year ago Kageyama had only bothered getting the one at the start of the month. The reason he had started buying every issue was because they gave you a free pair of volleyball shoes and a Mikasa ball if you sent them the tear out back pages as proof that you had purchased fifty consecutive copies. It was definitely not because the orange-haired model wasn’t in it often and he wanted to make sure he wouldn’t miss him. Perish the thought.  
Over the months, Kageyama had noticed that loads of girls in his high school bought the magazine as well. Apparently that was the same as Karasuno University. Currently, six or seven of them near the front of the room were giggling loudly over one page. Between their arms, he saw a speck of orange. Pushing down his unexpected and overwhelming surge of annoyance, he sighed.  
Kageyama knew he was gay. It was a part of him that was plain to him only because he had been around boys all of his life who constantly talked about girls, and he had never seen what the whole fuss was. After a while it had dawned on him. It was probably because he had once found himself unconsciously nodding along to a conversation between two girls who sat in front of him in high school. They had been rating all the boys in their year. He agreed with them. It didn’t take a genius to figure it out from there. And Kageyama didn’t mind it. It didn’t matter either way; he didn’t want to be in any relationships. Not that he’d be able to or want to instigate any, anyway. Volleyball was first.  
One thing he vehemently denied every time his subconscious brought it up was that he had a crush on the orange-haired boy. Because he didn’t. He was definitely cute, but he didn’t. And anyway, if for some reason he did, he was safe from embarrassment because he was just a photo in a magazine. It just really didn’t help when all the girls and some of the boys kept talking about how adorable he was. Every time he’d have to silently agree.  
They never put his name. Kageyama had never looked. It would just make him feel like a stalker, and more importantly, it would make it seem like he was actually interested in him. There was no point, because he was busy with other things and didn’t have a crush on anybody. So there, he told the voice in the back of his head. Don’t lie to yourself, idiot, the voice replied.  
Kageyama felt a little better when he remembered that Daichi and Sugawara were going to meet him for lunch to show him around. They’d been at Karasuno for much longer than he had, having left his high school and volleyball team long before, being two years above him. They were something like his friends, and Kageyama certainly appreciated them, but he wasn’t really sure what friends were, properly. Daichi and Sugawara were older than him, anyway.  
*  
Kageyama yawned widely, feeling exhausted as he stepped out of classes. It was time to go and meet Daichi and Sugawara at the café on the corner. He felt light and happy: familiar faces amongst this sea of strangers would be welcome. And then there were volleyball try-outs later. Daichi and Sugawara were both on the team. If (or rather when, Kageyama thought arrogantly, though he did not have no foundation for it) he got a place on the team, he’d be able to perform well as a setter. You had to be familiar with your team, to know how they liked their tosses. He knew them well, at least from a volleyball point of view.  
Tsukishima, Kageyama understood, was also trying out. If he got on the team as well (God forbid) that would put almost all of his old team back together again, minus Yamaguchi, who had been forced to go to another university by his parents. There had been much drama over that. Yamaguchi had had his heart set on Karasuno, and had got in as well. Kageyama thought privately that the real reason why Yamaguchi had been so upset was because he’d be separated from his beloved “Tsukki”. Kageyama’s talent didn’t lie in reading other people’s emotions (that was Sugawara’s department), but he had an inkling that there was something more than friendship on Yamaguchi’s mind when it came to Tsukishima. But then that wasn’t his business. And Yamaguchi had got onto another good team.  
It was chilly for September; the morning mist had not quite cleared and leaves in magnificent shades of scarlet and russet were spinning lazily down to the pavement. Ahead of him, around a hundred metres past the café, was a guarded wraith zone, the containment field shimmering subtly above it. Shadow wraith containment personnel in smart charcoal grey suits, cut off at their elbows to show their marks, stood at intervals along the walled-off area. Big shadow wraith zone warning signs plastered the bricks. The famous, or rather infamous logo huge and yellow against the reddish stone. The sickly yellow eye with the vertical black pupil. On the uniforms of the silent sentinels was the blue human eye logo of the Shadow Wraith Eradication Organisation, or SWEO, as most people called it, to save themselves from rhyming. Kageyama knew both logos well. They were on almost all of his mother’s clothes.  
Shivering slightly, Kageyama crossed the road to the corner the café was on. It didn’t seem to be doing bad business, considering it was next to a place where the planet’s most feared entities had killed people. That was what containment zones were. Places where people had been possessed or killed by shadow wraiths, in large numbers. They cleared everything in the area then surrounded it in a containment field and a wall to keep the wraiths in. As far as people knew, they couldn’t be killed by anything. Only imprisoned.  
Navigating through the small gaps between packed tables on the pavement, Kageyama looked away from the reminder that there wasn’t much between people and death. As he did so, he thought he saw a flash or orange on his left. He whipped his head around, but it was gone. That was not a leaf. That was a person. With orange hair. Could it be…? Kageyama mentally slapped himself. Why was he getting his hopes up? There were loads of people with orange hair. And he was getting distracted: he needed to get inside the café.  
Once inside, he was hit by an onslaught of noise and smells. Overwhelmed, he scanned the area for Daichi and Sugawara. Someone tapped his shoulder. It was Sugawara, smiling warmly and beckoning over to a set of stairs. Sugawara said something, but he couldn’t hear him over the noise. He turned and walked up the stairs. Kageyama hurriedly followed.  
At the top was a second seating area with more tables. Squashy brown leather armchairs were crammed by the windows, warm and too large for the small space. Daichi sat at a table in a corner. Sugawara led Kageyama over to him. He looked up and grinned when he saw him. ‘You’re here!’  
‘Hello, Daichi-san.’  
‘How are you, Kageyama?’ He laughed and gestured to the chairs and gilt-framed paintings on the walls. ‘This isn’t really the kind of place you’d expect us to be in, is it?’  
Kageyama shook his head and tried to grin. Sugawara laughed at his pitiful attempt: it looked more like a grimace of pain. Sugawara flapped his hands at Kageyama to sit down, then smiled once more, angelically. ‘Unfortunately, upstairs here is the only place quiet and close enough to bother with. I hope you don’t mind.’  
‘Of course not, Sugawara-san.’  
‘Anyway,’ said Daichi impatiently, ‘are you coming to the try-outs this evening? We need you on the team. You won’t be player setter much, though. Suga’s been doing great lately.’  
Sugawara looked embarrassed at the compliment. ‘Daichi, do you even need to ask? Of course he’s coming. It won’t matter if there’s two of us again, anyway. It’s just like high school. We’ll be leaving next year. Though I'm not going to stop trying hard.’  
Kageyama really had no idea what to say. Talking wasn’t one of his strong points, unless he was shouting abuse. Luckily Daichi and Sugawara had known him for years, and understood. Kageyama took the break in the conversation as an opportunity to ask about what was really on his mind: the shadow wraith containment zone. ‘Were both of you here when they walled off the containment zone down the road? I don’t remember it being on the news.’  
‘I think that happened when we were all in high school. And we were all too preoccupied with volleyball to keep up with other things.’ Daichi laughed. ‘It’s still that way now, really.’ Kageyama didn’t comment on Daichi’s unconcerned tone; most people tried to pretend that it wasn’t a big deal. Ignoring it, though unhealthy, kept away the fear. The government was there to address the issue, anyway. It was everyone else’s job to stay sane and make sure they didn’t get themselves possessed.  
Kageyama would have also liked to ask about the other freshmen, but just then Sugawara looked at his watch, developed a panicked look and stood up. ‘Daichi, our next class is in thirty seconds.’  
‘Shit,’ Daichi swore, ‘see you at try-outs, Kageyama!’ Sugawara and Daichi half slid down the stairs, leaving Kageyama alone. Sighing, he checked his watch as well. His last class of the day wasn’t for another couple of hours. He had time to kill.  
*  
Kageyama arrived at try-outs right on time, but the coach had already started explaining how things were going to be set up. He was a tallish, with a determined face and spiky blonde hair held back by a headband. ‘Good evening, everyone! I’m coach Ukai. I’m not going to be bothering with long introductions because we’ve got a lot to get through at the moment. As it is right now, there are too many applicants, so we’re going to have to split you up into two groups. I have a list of names here, but obviously not everyone is here yet. Whoever comes in the next thirty seconds plus the people who’ve already arrived will be group one, and everyone else will be group two. Have you all got that?’  
Kageyama and everyone else nodded. Coach Ukai looked at them all appraisingly, then at his watch. ‘Okay, and thirty seconds are…up! I’ll need someone to close the doors and to put this notice on the outside to inform what will be group two of the arrangements.’  
Someone outstretched a hand for the notice, which was actually just a bit of A4 paper written on in thick black marker with tape on it, and followed another two people who’d gone to shut the gym doors. After that was done, Ukai herded the group of applicants into a line and had everyone demonstrate basic skills. Eight people were dismissed straight away after Ukai found they couldn’t even do an underhand serve. Others didn’t know how to receive, or even to hold their hands right. Kageyama’s competition was narrowed down to about ten others. Looking at them, he realised that these were his real opponents. They all looked like they knew what they were doing. One of them was Tsukishima, who smirked at him and said nothing. Kageyama ignored him.  
When it was just the ten of them, Ukai addressed everybody again. ‘Right, now we’ve narrowed it down to you lot, I’m going to be testing you for real. I will need all of you to demonstrate the skills we’ve just done again so I can see them more closely. After a few more people have been eliminated, we’re going to have a practice match. I will also be testing you on rules and the point system…’ Ukai carried on for a while. Kageyama only half listened.  
The practice game was easy. Kageyama was on Tsukishima’s team, to his intense displeasure. However, Kageyama did know how Tsukishima played. They worked well together when they put their differences aside.  
There were some interesting people on Kageyama’s team. Talented people. They crushed the opposing team, though still imperfect at flowing together. After they finished and the rest were rest dismissed, Ukai looked at the remaining five. ‘Okay. You guys have passed for now, but there’s still group two. Don’t get your hopes up. I will, however, take your names. Starting from the left, state your name, please.’  
‘Asahi Azumane.’ A tall, scary looking guy with a goatee. He had a powerful spike. Off court, he seemed nervous and shy, despite his looks. A wing spiker.  
‘Nishinoya Yuu.’ A contrastingly short guy with spiky hair dyed blonde at the front. He was bouncing madly one the balls of his feet and grinning. He had been the libero for the team. He was good – very good.  
‘Tanaka Ryuunosuke.’ A bald guy with attitude. His power and stamina were good. Before they’d started, He’d being talking loudly to the Nishinoya guy and the tall one, Asahi.  
Tsukishima gave his name, and Kageyama his. Ukai nodded as he wrote them down. ‘Alright, then, good job. I estimate I’ll be done with group two by about nine. It’ll be too late by then to make you all come back. I’ll tell you if you’ve made the team if you come here tomorrow at six. Do any of you have classes then?’ They all shook their heads. ‘Great. Thanks for your time.’ He grinned companionably, and walked towards the doors to let group two in. As Kageyama walked out, he saw it again: the flash of orange. He tried to look harder but was swept aside by the rush of people trying to get inside.  
Annoyed, he headed back to his dorm room. He could see Tsukishima ahead of him, but there was no way he was walking back with him. Not even if someone offered him the chance to play in the Olympics. Well, maybe he would if it was that. He’d think about it.  
As he walked back in the fast approaching darkness, scuffing the front of his shoes on the damp tarmac, he thought of the orange haired volleyball model in Miyagi Sports. It was like he was haunting him. He pushed the disturbing thoughts aside. There was no use worrying about volleyball and mysterious orange haired people if you got killed by a shadow wraith.  
As he walked up the steps of the building, he allowed himself to think about his father. He’d been possessed by a shadow wraith. No one had known. Kageyama’s father had been in the government as well; that was where he’d met his mother. The government was possibly the worst possible profession to be in if you were to be possessed. Government officials had power, meaning that shadow wraiths could use them to kill large numbers of people. Kageyama’s father had been manipulated in that way. Kageyama’s mother had never said it, but he knew that the reason why she spent so much time working was to make up for what his father had done. And because there wasn’t anything else she knew how to do.  
Kageyama had once overheard a phone call between his mother and some official. It had disturbed him for years afterwards because of the desperation in her voice. It was high and raw and piercing. ‘Listen, you idiot! There’s no point in that! I’m telling you, if we try to understand what exactly they’re trying to achieve by killing people, then we could try and stop this!... Are you stupid? Yes, they’re trying to possess people. But only so they can kill more with the humans under their power! If you don’t understand, then you need to go right back to training. I am here to solve a problem. I am at the forefront of the fight. _You will listen to me._ ’  
It had never truly dawned on Kageyama just how important his mother was until he had heard the command in her voice when she said the last sentence, and then the muffled two word reply. ‘Yes, ma’am.’ It scared him a little.  
Kageyama dragged his feet forward again, exhausted. Suddenly, he was sliding his feet across dewy grass instead of smooth pavement. He looked up and scanned his surroundings closely. Where was he?  
There was campus map taped to the wall by his bed. He seemed to remember a vague patch of green to the far left of the main buildings. If he wanted to get back to his apartment, he needed to go… Kageyama thought for a moment, only half seeing the low hanging branches of the pine trees and picnic tables across the field. As he thought, he caught a flash of movement in his peripheral vision. He whipped his head around so fast his neck cricked. Nothing. It was nothing. Probably just another falling leaf, or a branch waving in the wind. Kageyama checked his arms to make sure his marks were showing, though he knew they were. He was wearing his short-sleeved volleyball shirt. Something tickled nervously at the back of his mind. An instinctual feeling. No, that hadn’t been nothing. There was something there.  
Glancing about him, he turned back to the road. He would skirt the field, even if it would take longer. Hopefully whatever it was would stick to the tree line and give up. Kageyama wondered (or rather hoped) that he was imagining things. But if there was one thing that his mother had given him, it was knowledge on shadow wraiths. Not directly, but she had, by leaving guidebooks around and scribbling things down on bits of paper. With a supreme effort, he pushed aside all his thoughts of volleyball and went through his mental checklist on how to tell if there was one nearby. Almost complete and unnatural silence? Yep. Movement that he could never quite catch? Check. A subtle drop in temperature? He shivered.  
And then there was his feeling of dread. That one was never in the books, but Kageyama knew he was near something malicious. It was almost the exact same feeling he got when in the presence of Tsukishima. Though the shadow wraith in the trees was much less likely to make snide remarks.  
In the dim streetlight-lit darkness, his footfalls sounded unnaturally loud. They echoed deafeningly, though there didn’t seem anything for the sound to hit. Kageyama found himself moving very slowly, like he was swimming, floundering through cold water. He shook his arms. They felt like lead.  
Something rustled on his left. A branch broke. _Crack._  
Kageyama spun wildly. Nothing. Still nothing.  
Weren’t there street lights? It was so dark. A heavy kind of inky blackness. Kageyama felt like he was holding it up.  
_Hiss._  
He could just make out the cars parked on the kerb. The trees in the field were so still. It had been blustery moments ago. Everything was wrong.  
_Creak._  
It was following him. Kageyama started to run, his muscles burning against the heaviness in his limbs. Kageyama was usually fast, but now he felt like he was being pulled backwards.  
There was a squealing noise, like something sharp being dragged across metal.  
He looked, but there was only the empty street and the trees. But there was something odd about one tree closer to him. Something roughly circular was poking out about three metres up the trunk.  
A head. It wasn’t human.  
Kageyama caught a glimpse of milky yellow eyes with vertical pupils and a mouth opened impossibly wide. Its gaping maw was lined with dozens of tiny, sharp teeth around its whole mouth. The head retreated slowly behind the trunk.  
Directly beside him, it walked out of the trees. There was a horrifying, desperate screaming in Kageyama’s head, but the street was as silent as the grave. How had it moved so fast, from his left to his right?  
It was impossibly tall, skeletal and black. It seemed fuzzy round the edges, ghostly but terribly real. Its fingers were longer than Kageyama’s arms. Kageyama wondered how it ate with those, his mind in a mist. Or if it did eat.  
He was frozen. Stuck to the ground. Bitterly, he thought of how parents told their children that the marks they were born with would keep them safe. What a lie that was. People still clung to that hope, even though many were killed every day. He stared up into that terrible, perpetually gaping face, and knew he was about to die.  
Something snapped inside him. He was suddenly and overwhelmingly angry. How dare this thing scare him so much? How dare it try to take his life? How dare it take him away from it when he was so close to achieving his dream? Quickly, he took several steps back from it. He was oddly calm. The cool night air washed over his face. He breathed in the smell of autumn deeply, then spoke, his voice ringing and clear. ‘Why?’  
The black hole that was its mouth snapped shut.  
Without warning, it dissolved into black mist, like gaseous shadows.  
Kageyama blinked, but it seemed to take him a long time. As soon as his eyes were open again, he was in front of his apartment building. The sudden return of the noise and the increase in temperature hurt his head. He stumbled up two flights of stairs to the front door, exhausted from terror. He unlocked to door to find Tsukishima stretched out on the sofa, the TV blaring. Kageyama must have looked terrible, because his eyebrows immediately shot up.  
‘What’s the matter, King? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.’  
Kageyama ignored the jibe. ‘I think I did.’  
*  
In the morning, Kageyama steeled himself and called his mother. As always, they spoke to each other formally and stiffly. She answered on the third ring. He told her, slowly and in bits, what had happened. He could feel her nodding through the phone, her preferred method of answering things. Kageyama knew who he’d inherited that from.  
‘I understand. Thank you for telling me. I’ll send people out later, but I doubt we’ll find anything if you say it disappeared.’  
There was a long silence. ‘And, Tobio… Are you alright?’  
The question was so unexpected Kageyama almost dropped his phone, which was saying something since he played volleyball, the advanced version of don’t let the balloon touch the floor. He scrambled nervously to find the words to answer.  
‘I’m fine.’ He stopped, then added hastily, ‘Thank you.’  
There was another long and supremely awkward silence. His mother coughed. ‘So, how is school?’  
The second question caught him off guard almost as much as the first did, if not more so. Was his mother finally expressing an interest in things now he was gone? It seemed ironic.  
‘It’s been okay. We had volleyball try-outs yesterday.’  
‘Did you get in?’  
‘I’ll find out today at six.’  
‘Oh. Well. Erm… call me and tell me the results.’  
That was it. This was weirder than the shadow wraith. Kageyama felt his mind slowly combusting. Where were all these questions coming from?  
‘Mum, why –’ he began, but was abruptly cut off.  
‘Ah, there’s someone ringing my other phone. I’ll have to go.’  
And just like that, she hung up. Kageyama somehow thought that she was avoiding answering his question.  
*  
Kageyama sat down near the back again for his second day of classes. This one, thankfully, was a bit later in the morning, which meant he felt less like murdering everyone in the immediate vicinity. His marks stung, as must everyone else’s, but it was a dull, slow pain that you hardly noticed once you had been exposed to it for a few hours. It only annoyed Kageyama when he was in a bad mood. Around him, he could see others rubbing at their forearms in agitation. Everyone wished it would stop, but no one mentioned in in speech. That was just how it was. Long periods of faint pain and other periods where it would stop. An endless, monotonous cycle.  
This class had mostly different people from yesterday, as far as Kageyama could tell. He hadn’t looked and wouldn’t have remembered if he had, unless someone had piqued his interest.  
Nishinoya, Asahi and Tanaka from try-outs yesterday were a few rows ahead. Nishinoya was talking earnestly to Tanaka while Asahi looked at him with an odd expression on his face. Kageyama struggled to decipher it, then shook his head and gave up. Staring at people was creepy and unnecessary. He had an excuse, though. He’d probably end up on the team with them.  
The professor wasn’t here yet, and people were still coming in dribs and drabs. A few moments later, the door banged open and a short man which Kageyama took for the professor staggered in, holding the door open with his foot. He was carrying an enormous stack of paper. He’d balanced the whole lot between his arms and his chin, but it still looked like it was about to spill out everywhere. Someone came forward to help him. He smiled gratefully.  
He was strange, this professor. He had a small, intelligent face with dark scruffy hair and square glasses. Kind-looking, really, not strange.  
Once the papers had been deposited in smaller piles on the desk at the front, he walked out from behind it. Kageyama arranged his textbooks, and was still looking down when the door banged open again. ‘Sorry, sir! I got lost and…’ The latecomer blurted a flurry of excuses and apologised again. The professor took it with good grace. The peculiarity of the voice caused Kageyama to look up. It was high and clear, but was obviously male. An interesting voice to hear in university, where most people were adults.  
When Kageyama saw who it was, his heart felt like it had quite literally stopped. There, at the front of class, was the beautiful orange haired boy from Miyagi Sport. He was even more amazing in real life. Now he was three dimensional, Kageyama could see every strand of the fluffy hair. It was wilder than it was in the magazine; they must have used some sort of gel to tame it. It was no less adorable, however. His small, pointed face was angelic, with huge brown eyes framed by dark lashes. An aura of intense energy and movement surrounded him.  
He was also tiny. Doll-like. Kageyama had been aware that he was short, definitely shorter than himself, but it had been hard to tell with nothing to measure him against in the magazine. Despite this, he looked strong and healthy. He didn’t look like the sort of person to sit still for hours and model. Though it had been a sports magazine.  
Kageyama’s heart sputtered back to life, and was now beating very fast. He just continued to stare. It was him. In the flesh. Kageyama couldn’t even think. He brain seemed to be a mess of static and jumbled syllables.  
Kageyama now had three problems. Shadow wraiths. His mother. And a wish coming true he hadn’t realised he’d made.


	2. Indigo

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We get a little bit of backstory for Hinata. Welcome to twelve-year-old hell.

Hinata Shouyou was special. Firstly, he let his emotions run free, keeping little inside. Secondly, he was energetic to the point of insanity – he never stopped. Lastly, he could kill shadow wraiths. But Hinata didn’t know that.   
He knew that he could do something to them, though. He’d asked Kenma, but all that had earned him was a prolonged silence and one long, hard look. Hinata had first realised that he could stop them – make them go away – when he was just twelve years old. Not that long ago, really. Only six years.   
Hinata had been at the local shop buying meat buns. Natsu had come with him. He felt very proud that his parents had trusted him enough to let him take the tiny four year old with him. She had wandered off into the drinks aisle and was opening and closing the fridge doors and giggling loudly. Every now and then, Hinata would cast an anxious glance over his shoulder to make sure she was alright. It was only seven o’clock, but it was already almost dark. Normally, she would have been in bed by now.  
Dinging the bell impatiently, Hinata sighed. The grumpy old woman who usually sat behind the counter was nowhere to be found. Looking around him nervously, Hinata walked behind the counter and poked his head through the doorway to the back room. No one.  
It had a few shelves of odds and ends, and a staircase on the opposite wall. The blue flickering light of a television spilled out onto the steps, soft voices coming down from the small apartment above. So that was where she was.  
‘Erm… Hello?’ he called tentatively, to no avail. The noise of the TV just got louder. She wasn’t coming down, then. Miserable old bat.  
Hinata sauntered back across the room and out into the shop. It was empty. His heart rapidly grew cold. He checked all the aisles, but Natsu’s fluffy-headed personage was nowhere to be found. It was then he heard the scream. It was unbearably, heart-wrenchingly terrified, garbled and high-pitched. It was a child’s scream. Natsu’s.  
Hinata didn’t remember how he even got outside.  
He watched the scene in front of him unfold in slow-motion, hazed over by horror and fear. A shadow wraith was holding Natsu in one of its spindly oversized hands, its mouth a cavernous black hole, its eyes ugly yellow lamps in the fading light. Natsu was limp with terror, staring at it with silvery tears running down her cheeks.   
Time stopped for several terrible seconds. A tear ran down Natsu’s chin and dropped to the ground. Her pudgy baby hands shook. Her marks were nowhere to be seen, covered by her jacket sleeves. Of course. She had been cold. Stupid, stupid Hinata.   
Hinata’s heart burned. He clutched his chest. He was so angry he was going up in flames. This thing had his baby sister. It was trying to hurt her.   
Hinata rushed towards it with almost a snarl of fury. He hit the murky blackness that was its body sideways on. It was a strange sensation. He could feel it and the space it occupied at the same time. But he didn’t have time to think about that.   
The shadow wraith didn’t move. How dare it defy his anger? Suddenly, the world turned a blinding, dizzying gold. The darkness of the wraith was getting burnt away. In what seemed like hours but was really seconds, it disappeared.   
Hinata surged forward to catch Natsu as she fell. There was nothing to hold her up now.  
Hinata was not in the habit of praising himself, but that day he thanked his reflexes for being able to catch Natsu before she hit the ground.   
He stood there for a minute or two with Natsu sobbing in his arms. He hugged her close, not wanting to ever let her go. He had almost paid the worst price imaginable for his own stupidity. It would not happen again.   
Slowly, he walked back down the deserted street in the direction of home. Some instinct told him to stop just then. He turned. There, in the space where the wraith had been, was a gold lump. He picked it up. It was warm to the touch, a stone wrapped in impossibly beautiful golden light. Inside the glittering cage lay a coal-black mass, still and terrible. What was left of the shadow wraith. Did that mean he hadn’t killed it? He’d done something, and it was mostly gone. Good.  
As he looked closer, Hinata got the distinct impression the light was protecting the outside world from the lump inside. He pocketed it hastily, and walked briskly back up the street, turning the corner. This time, he did not look back.  
When he got inside, Natsu had fallen asleep on his shoulder. In other circumstances, he would have found this adorable, but he was too shaken to think about anything much at the moment. He stumbled through the house towards the sound of soft radio music. His mother was in the kitchen.   
Hearing his footsteps, she began to berate him for taking so long, but stopped abruptly when she saw his face.   
‘Shouyou? Shouyou! What’s wrong? What happened?’ She shook him in panic. ‘Are you alright? Is Natsu –’  
‘Mum!’ Hinata said, raising his voice. ‘We’re fine… it’s nothing.’  
For a split second, his mother looked at him in absolute shock. ‘Hinata Shouyou, do you think I’m a complete idiot? I’ve known you for twelve years. You’re my son. I know when something’s wrong. Don’t you dare lie to me.’  
Hinata raised his head. He considered, for a moment, lying further. Then he stopped himself. Why was he even lying in the first place? Had the shadow wraith done something to him?  
He told her everything, as best he could. It sounded ridiculous coming from his mouth, but not for one moment did his mother ever look like she thought he was making it all up.  
He finished, then looked at her defiantly. ‘And Natsu’s fine. It went before it did anything to her.’  
His mother sighed, then smiled. ‘You’re a good boy, Shouyou.’  
Hinata, surprised, stared at her. She took Natsu from Hinata without a word and walked upstairs to put her to bed, leaving him in the kitchen, confused. Soon after, he found himself following.   
Suddenly exhausted, he flopped down on his bed, glancing at the volleyball in the corner. His mother’s light footsteps went down the stairs. Hinata lay in the dark, brooding and staring at the ceiling. His brain felt like a hurricane of thoughts and questions. Strangely, he didn’t want to ask any. He wanted to forget. He never wanted to feel so scared again. He never wanted to come so close to losing someone like that.  
After a while, he got up and went to Natsu’s bedroom, feeling in need of a hug. As he made to lay down next to her, not wanting to wake her, she sat up. ‘Nii-chan?’ she said sleepily.  
‘Yes?’  
She laughed softly. ‘So pretty. Shouyou, you glowed. Like the sun.’ With a soft breathy noise, she lay back down and turned over, fast asleep.   
Hinata stood in the room feeling, if possible, more confused than before, possibilities swimming through his mind like fish at sea.  
*  
A week later, Kenma turned up. He stopped him on the way to school as he was cycling laboriously up a hill. Hinata, curious, looked at him closely. He had cat-like eyes, bleached blonde hair and a reserved expression.   
‘What have you got in your pocket?’ he said. Hinata’s hand instinctively went to it and brought out the stone, which he had taken to carrying with him. He didn’t understand why, he just found himself keeping it on him wherever he went, like he was protecting the world from it by holding it to himself.   
Hinata held it close to his chest. ‘Who are you?’ he countered.   
‘Kenma.’  
‘Oh.’  
‘Where did you get that?’ Kenma said. He had a strange voice. Soft and soothing.  
‘I – well…’ Hinata did not quite know how to answer that. Kenma, however, seemed to understand.   
‘Come with me.’ He said, turning down a side street and walking off. Hinata followed without thinking. Kenma let him through the streets without a word, to a black glass building, sleek and low. Kenma pushed open a door and disappeared inside. After a moment of apprehension, Hinata ran after him. He wanted to know what was going on. He found it ridiculous that before that he hadn’t wanted to know anything.  
Inside was a huge room with cold marble floors and a balcony running round the walls, showing heavy black doors. At the front was a silver desk. The man behind it stood up and walked through a door behind him. Kenma went through after him and Hinata followed his lead, wondering what he was getting himself into. Through the doorway was another room and another desk, but I was smaller, and had no balcony.   
The man from the first desk disappeared. The person behind the second looked up from his computer. Well, Hinata assumed it was man. He had a balaclava on, and it was hard to tell. It was at this point Hinata truly began to get scared. Kenma was so quiet and unassuming he had followed him on pure instinct, all thoughts of “stranger danger” disappearing from his head. Now he was probably going to get murdered.   
Hinata took a few steps back, wondering if now would be a good time to run. However, the door behind him was shut.   
‘Don’t get any silly ideas, little boy. We don’t want to hurt you.’ The man said, because it was a man: Hinata could tell from his voice. ‘I had Kozume-kun bring you here so we could help you. It’s in your pocket, isn’t it? The pretty stone from the shadow wraith?’  
Hinata, not knowing what else to do, nodded. ‘What do you want with it?’  
‘We collect them and destroy them, to keep people safe. You’re holding a shadow wraith’s heart – if you can call it that, I suppose. We can take it off you, if you like. You’ll only attract more of them by having it. And to make it even more of a good deal for you, we’ll even pay you. How does that sound?’  
Hinata did not like this man. His voice was strangely comforting, low and smooth and warm. However, it was completely out of sync with his balaclava-covered face that didn’t seem to move as he talked.   
But Hinata really did want to get rid of the stone. He could feel it, sometimes, little waves of hatred and evil emanating from it, quickly smothered by the golden light. And he really needed money.   
One night, he’d heard his parents talking. They’d been discussing how they’d be able to pay for Hinata and Natsu’s university tuition. They’d come to the conclusion that they just couldn’t afford it: Hinata and Natsu would just have to get loans from the bank. But they didn’t want their only children to be stuck with debt all their lives. They wanted to help them in some way. But Hinata’s family were not rich – they were happy, and that was all they needed. Until now.  
Hinata hadn’t thought that far ahead in life properly, but he did have some idea about where he wanted to go. Karasuno, naturally. The best of the best. But all universities cost money.  
As Hinata thought about this, he walked forward, closer to the desk. He really did want the money. It could go towards Karasuno – he could split it and put some aside for Natsu as well.  
Somewhere in the back of his mind, Hinata knew he was making an extremely rash decision that could have disastrous consequences. But he didn’t care. If he was offered a chance to give himself and Natsu a leg up in life, he would take it.  
‘Fine,’ he began, his voice shaking a little. ‘I’ll give it to you. But only if you promise not to hurt me or my family.’  
‘Of course not! Why on earth would we do that? Thank you very much, little boy.’  
‘My name is Hinata.’  
‘Thank you very much, Hinata. Now, then. How much would you like?’  
Hinata was dumbfounded. He didn’t trust this man, but he wasn’t sensing any imminent danger. And now he was asking him how much Hinata wanted for it? Like a bargain? He was giving Hinata a choice?   
Hinata really had no idea how to respond, so he just stayed where he was, an expression of shock on his face.  
The man laughed softly. ‘Well, I can see this has been a bit much for you. How about you give it to me, and I’ll just give you a standard amount?’  
Hinata nodded slowly. He set the stone on the on the shiny silver surface and stood back. The man from the first desk reappeared, picking the stone up with a cloth.  
The man in the balaclava pulled out a little drawer from the desk he sat at. It was filled with crisp bills. He counted out a few, then slid them across to Hinata.   
Hinata took it, his eyes widening. That was a lot of money. He pocketed it hurriedly. The man laughed again. ‘What are you going to do with the money, Hinata?’  
‘University for me and my sister.’  
‘You have noble intentions, I see! What a nice child you are. Well, thank you for this. If you ever get any more, be sure to come our way. You’ll be rewarded accordingly.’  
He waved his hand, a clear gesture of dismissal. There was the sound of the door opening behind him. Kenma walked out, Hinata almost tripping over in his hurry to escape. Once outside, Kenma started to walk off. ‘Hey, Kenma! Wait!’ Kenma turned to look at him, his expression puzzled. ‘What is it?’  
Hinata faltered. ‘Erm… Well… Look, I don’t really know you or anything, but you seem like a decent person. Why are you with shady people like that? And you’re the same age as me. Are you in trouble?’  
Kenma’s expression was unfathomable. Suddenly, a look of anguish washed across it. It didn’t suit his delicate features. He looked like he was in extreme physical pain. Hinata’s heart went out to him.  
Kenma seemed to be trying to control his emotions, but couldn’t quite reign them in. ‘They have Kuroo.’ He half-whispered in a strangled tone. And with that, he disappeared into the crowd.


	3. Navy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> More Hinata backstory and clarification on Kenma and Kuroo. More Kags after this I promise :)

Hinata went back to the black building a total of ten times. He’d gone looking for the shadow wraiths. He was an idiot, but he felt safe. And it was easy. He’d do it after evening practice, when it was dark. His mother had no reason to be suspicious, because he was always doing extra practice by himself, though Hinata had the distinct impression that she knew, or had at least an inkling of what he was doing, but he hadn’t told her about the payment and the odd man with the scarily soothing voice. That was his business, and he was killing two birds with one stone while he was at it: ridding the world of evil and making money. But he felt like the guilt was killing him slowly, its black arms wrapped tightly, almost lovingly, around his heart. 

The first time had been to test if it was him the light had come from, like Natsu had said. Hinata had gone around in the dark with his marks covered completely, just waiting. Just as he was about to go home, one of them melted out of the shadows. Hinata’s heart fizzed weirdly and shuddered with surprise. Had it been standing there the whole time? Or had it just come? If it did, how the hell did it do that anyway?

It looked like the last one. They were all the same. That terrible, telescopic yellow gaze, still and horrifying. Its huge mouth lined with teeth like needles, too long and too thin. It moved slowly, with an almost balletic grace. It was mesmerising in an insane way, and awful in its hideousness. All of Hinata’s previous protective anger had gone away. Just shrank into a small corner if his heart. He tried calling it back, but he felt nothing bubbling up inside him. Why? Why did he do this? His life was a never-ending series of painfully stupid decisions which he never seemed to learn from. 

Hinata saw things with a kind of obscene clarity, its long, reaching hands and tall, hulking figure looming closer. Natsu’s voice echoed in the back of his mind. _Shouyou, you glowed. Like the sun._ That’s right, he thought. I did.

The gold seemed to come from deep inside him. It was so _warm_. He felt happy and safe in his little bubble. In a state of deep content, he walked forward, and reached up to its arm. Once again, he felt the peculiar sensation of his hand being in empty air and also holding something cold and clammy. He almost recoiled in disgust, but steeled himself. He needed to check this worked. 

The shadow wraith’s mouth snapped shut. It was now an impossibly long black line, with folds of misty black skin sagging downward at the edges. The sight was so grotesque that Hinata faltered. The golden light wavered. The wraith’s mouth snapped open again, almost as if it were excited. 

Hinata panicked. The golden light began to retreat. 

Just then, something happened that caused the light to burst forth in a tidal wave of molten gold. A man spoke in his mind. He’d never heard that voice before. It was low, but not deep, and harsh. It was comforting in a way that annoyed him. _Don’t give up now, Dumbass._  
Shut up, he thought to the voice, but he was oddly gladdened. The shadow wraith burnt away without a sound. The last things left were its huge eyes, staring, always staring, right into Hinata’s soul. But then it was gone, and another gold stone lay, perfectly still, in its place. The next day, he brought it to the man in the balaclava. He was very happy, in his smooth, condescending way.

After a total of seven more times plus the first one, Hinata had made what he had found, after hours of trying to figure it out, about twenty percent of his and Natsu’s university fees, each. It had become a routine. Turn a shadow wraith into a stone, get paid, hide the money in a metal box and bury it under some rocks in a little nook up a mountain pathway on the way to school. It was a crazy place to hide it, but no one ever went up there, and the nook was well hidden. Hinata had only found it by getting a volleyball stuck in there. Even crazier was the voice. He never stopped thinking about it. Was that someone he’d known in the past?  
Every time he’d gone back, Kenma had been standing silently behind the man with the balaclava. He’d disappeared each time before Hinata had had a chance to ask him more about this mysterious “Kuroo” person. By the ninth, however, Kenma seemed to think Hinata had given up. He was wrong. Hinata never gave up.  
Hinata glanced sideways on the way out and did a double take when he saw Kenma walking out of the doors. He hurried to catch up. When he did, he grabbed Kenma’s hand and dragged him, Kenma stumbling behind, to an alleyway nearby. 

He shoved him down it, glancing behind him quickly. The he turned on Kenma’s confused face and said fiercely, ‘Who’s Kuroo?’  
Kenma, startled at the ferocity of his tone, shrank back. Hinata smiled disarmingly, letting him know he wasn’t angry, exactly. He wanted answers, and he wanted to help. ‘I’m sorry, Kenma. I just want to help you. I’m an idiot, okay? I’m making money from these crazy people and I walk away each time, knowing that these people aren’t good. They took someone from you, right? Your brother?’

Kenma hesitated, then. He looked at Hinata’s honest, open face, so much younger than his age in years. And this time, he saw. ‘No, my friend. My… only friend.’

Hinata’s face was brooding as he listened. ‘Well, now you have two. And I want to help you. You’re not a bad person Kenma, and I’m getting too much out of this without giving anything back. I’ll help you get him back.’

Kenma wanted to say no, he couldn’t: these people weren’t like that, but Hinata was already dragging him back to the building.

Kenma hoped a little bit then. Just a miniscule amount, a tiny flickering flame deep inside him. Now he had two friends. And his new friend was, according to the Boss, the most powerful Purger he’d ever seen. His light was gold. There’d been no gold before. He’d brought more hearts in a few weeks than any other Purger had brought in years. The Boss said they had to keep Shouyou, and Kenma always listened to the Boss. If he listened, he could have Kuroo back. The Boss said he attracted Purgers. If he got enough of them, he could leave with his best friend intact. If not… Kuroo would die.

He let the flame flicker out. He was a realist. Any sensible person would see that these people couldn’t be persuaded. Couldn’t be played with. But now they were at the door. And Shouyou wasn’t listening to him.  
*

Hinata marched through the entrance and through the second door the man with the balaclava. He was still there, standing up to walk out of another door on the right. 

Hinata stopped him with a ‘Hey!’ The man turned. 

‘Oh! Hinata, it’s you!’ He said with false happiness. ‘Did you need anything?’

Hinata got straight to the point. Behind him, Kenma hung his head. ‘What will it take to get Kuroo-san back?’  
Hinata could feel the man’s aura change from patronising and confident to guarded and malicious. ‘You heard about him? Terrible isn’t it, when people go missing? Wouldn’t you agree, Kenma-kun?’

‘Cut the crap. Kenma told me you’ve got him. I want to know what you want in exchange for Kuroo-san.’  
The man’s voice sharpened dangerously. ‘Oh? You told him, did you, Kenma-kun? Maybe you and I will have a little chat later, yes?’

Kenma panicked visibly. Hinata waved his arms impatiently. ‘You’re not _listening_ to me! I’ll give you anything you want! Just give him back, then leave them both in peace!’

‘Unfortunately, Hinata,’ the man began venomously, ‘Kenma has already offered “anything”. There’s really nothing that will persuade me. We need Kenma, and this is a terribly convenient way of keeping him. No can do, little boy.’

Hinata stared at him, disgusted. Then his face hardened. ‘Stones. I’ll give you stones. However many you want. You don’t have to pay me for them.’

‘How kind of you, Hinata, to try and help Kenma. But as for stones, it really wouldn’t be possible for you to get as many as I would consider taking from you in a short enough time. Give it up, please. Or this will have unpleasant consequences.’

‘Name a number!’ Hinata carried on defiantly. ‘Go on! I’ll do it, I promise!’

Kenma put a hand on his shoulder, dead-eyed and sad. ‘Shouyou, don’t.’

Hinata ignored him. ‘Just tell me!’

The man sighed. Hinata glared at him. ‘Alright, then. I’ll give him back, _and_ leave them alone, if you can get me –’ Hinata saw the balaclava shift as the man grinned widely, the first time it had ever done so – ‘fifty stones. In a month. No less.’

Hinata winced outwardly. Fifty? The balaclava-clad man laughed, a large throaty chuckle. ‘See? It’s impossible. I like you, Hinata. Don’t change that. Carry on doing what you’re doing. Once Kenma’s done his job, he can have his friend back.’

‘That’s just it, isn’t it?’ said Hinata, seething, ‘Kenma will never have _done_ his job. You’re never going to give Kuroo back.’

‘Gosh! Do you think of us that badly? Of course we’ll give him back. Just not for a while.’

‘And how long’s a while? Ten years? Twenty? Listen to me! I’ll get you the stones, okay? Make a deal with me.’

The man, looking at Hinata’s determined face, sighed. ‘I see you won’t be persuaded. Fine. Give it a try. When you fail, I’ll let you carry on like before. We need you. But I won’t be paying you as much as before. Your little sister won’t get to university.’

‘I won’t fail! Just you wait!’ And with that, Hinata stormed out of the room, Kenma in tow, like a small thundercloud filled with orange lightning.  
*

Kenma endured many passive-aggressive comments and sideways looks from the Boss over the next few weeks. He’d be in for it soon.

Kenma had accepted his fate.

On the thirtieth day, Kenma had well and truly given up. The Boss grinned at his sullen expression, but said nothing. At six in the evening, Hinata came in with his blue school bag in his hand. Kenma’s heart soared. Did this mean he’d done it, though? Maybe he’d just come to tell the Boss he’d failed. As he approached Hinata to ask him, Hinata said nothing and swept past into the back room. Kenma followed hurriedly. The Boss was behind his desk. Hinata marched up to it and set his bag on the table.

The only thing he said was: ‘You’ll a need a big box.’ Then he left, aiming a sunny smile at Kenma.

Afterwards, Kenma counted the stones.

There were fifty-one.


	4. Marigold

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We find out that Hinata and Kenma aren't the only ones who are a little bit special.  
> Kageyama's feelings develop.  
> Something terrible is inside him. Will he be able to save himself from getting possessed?

Hinata was happy he’d been able to help Kenma get Kuroo back. He knew that the man with the balaclava would keep his promise. Kenma had caught him in town a few days later and shyly gave him his phone number so they could talk to each other still. He had informed Hinata that Kuroo’s family were ecstatic, so glad to have him back that his parents had taken a month off work to be with him. The police were mystified as to how Kuroo had got there. The investigation into who’d taken him was still ongoing, but there were no leads. Kuroo had simply turned up, unconscious, in his house. His father had found him when he’d got home from work.  
Hinata and Kenma had come to an unspoken agreement not to say anything. Telling the police would make things worse. “The Boss”, as Kenma called him, would probably take that as a break in their agreement and take Kuroo back, or worse.  
They’d brought Kuroo to hospital immediately after finding him, only to be told he was perfectly healthy, just asleep – though he did seem to be experiencing amnesia. He remembered nothing of the past few months. There was nothing for the police to go by.  
Hinata and Kenma knew that somehow, they’d erased his memories. But he seemed fine, if a little wary of his surroundings. And he was very glad to see Kenma, as well as very interested in Hinata, whom he found hilarious for some reason Hinata couldn’t fathom. Kenma seemed to share his sentiment in his own quiet way, though he would never explain why, despite Hinata’s insistence.  
The last thing that Hinata knew was that going back to that building would be more stupid than pissing off an elephant when chained to a tree. So now, he had a problem. He still had the money for Karasuno, but it was nowhere near enough. Hinata resigned himself to getting a loan. At least he had a start.  
Four years later, Hinata was approached by a woman after a volleyball game. She was stunningly beautiful, with dark shoulder-length hair, glasses and a gentle expression. Hinata was a little disappointed despite her looks, as she didn’t look like she had much to do with volleyball. Not someone coming to recruit him, then.  
To Hinata’s surprise, she offered him a modelling job. The pay was fair, as well. He thought of the money he’d earned from killing shadow wraiths. It couldn’t hurt to build on it.  
*  
Kageyama sat, still as a stone, gaping at the boy. Well, man, he supposed. The same age as him. But Kageyama never thought of himself as a man, and definitely couldn’t think of this excitable creature to be one, what with his huge eyes and high voice. And adorably fluffy hair.  
No, not adorable. Dumbass.  
He gave up on concentrating as soon as the class started, though professor Takeda was making it sound pretty interesting. He tried to distract himself with volleyball thoughts. He’d try and ask Asahi and Tanaka later on what kind of tosses they preferred, though the ones they’d gone with yesterday had been fine.  
There was a sudden twinge in his chest. It felt odd. It was like something was moving around. Was that his heart? When it didn’t happen again, he forgot about it.  
Did he play volleyball? Kageyama wondered as he looked across at the orange-headed personage. He was evidently friends with the three volleyball players at the front. He was having a hushed conversation with Nishinoya, interjected with comments from Tanaka. But he was too shortto play. But he seemed strong, and he was friends with other people who played. Maybe he was a libero? Kageyama hadn’t seen him at try-outs, but then there was group two. He could have been in that one.  
And then there was the fact he modelled for a sports magazine. He _had_ to have something to do with sport. Kageyama shook himself. That was just wishful thinking, because he had a huge crush on him.  
There really was no denying it. Kageyama could pretend till the cows came home, but it still couldn’t change the increase in his heart rate when he looked at him, or the smile that threatened to break out across his face when he sneezed suddenly. It was cute. Kageyama really wanted to know what his name was.  
If, by some twist of fate, the boy did play volleyball and ended up on the same team as him, Kageyama couldn’t decide if he’d hate it or love it. Probably hate it. It would be impossible to concentrate, and it would be really awkward in general. Kageyama shivered. This was going to become a rather unpleasant situation at some point, if things went on the way there were.  
But he ached with pre-emptive disappointment at the prospect of him being always so far out of reach. Volleyball would ground him a bit. Make him seem less like an angel and more like an actual person.  
Class ended abruptly, and Kageyama was the first one out, customary scowl firmly in place.  
*  
Kageyama wanted to be cremated when he died, he decided. It would most likely be soon.  
The boy was on his team. Why was he hoping, earlier? What made him think it would be nice?  
The boy, bizarrely, was a middle blocker. Ukai had them all state their positions out loud so all the members of the team could memorise them. After that, they all started some practice spiking so Ukai could see where they all stood, skills-wise. Then it was blocking, and lastly, receives. Kageyama was confused as to why they all had to do this again after Ukai had already tested them. He found out why a few moments later when Ukai said that he hadn’t been able to do extra testing for the remainder of group two yesterday, as some urgent business had come up. Something about a shop.  
When they were told to start, Kageyama deliberately marched over to the other side of the gym than the boy. There were currently two setters: Sugawara and him. Sugawara was setting to people on the left hand side, so Kageyama headed over to the right. Everyone had lined up obediently, ready to do the standard five successful spikes.  
A sudden exclamation came from the other side of the room. There was no mistaking who it was. ‘Nishinoya-san! Show me “rolling thunder” again!’ the orange-haired boy said, his face alight with excitement.  
Kageyama was saved the embarrassment of people noticing he had set too high in surprise as everyone who’d lined up was also looking in Nishinoya’s direction. ‘Always happy to oblige!’ he roared, a huge smile stretching across his face. What Nishinoya lacked in height, he made up for in volume, Kageyama observed, wincing.  
Tanaka grinned at Nishinoya, who looked grinned back widely. Tanaka served the ball over the net, which was when Nishinoya did, in Kageyama’s opinion, a spectacularly mundane rolling receive to save it, accompanied by a cry of ‘rolling thunder!’  
Everyone laughed, warming to him already. Kageyama huffed in annoyance. If he had time to do that, he had time to help some other people with receiving. The boy shouted and clapped and called Nishinoya amazing, making everyone laugh again. Kageyama frowned, irritated. He was so carefree. Dumbass. Kageyama found anger a good way to get rid of any romantic thoughts towards the boy. He began to hope a little. Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad, after all. If he got pissed enough, he could probably hold a conversation with him and not die. And considering they were on the same team, he’d probably have to ask him what kind of serves he liked best at some point. Or other things.  
‘Why, thank you, Hinata!’ Nishinoya replied, and sauntered off to have a loud conversation with Tanaka, earning a shouted reprimand from Ukai. ‘Oi! You two! We’re practicing, not gossiping!’  
Hinata. His name was Hinata. It suited him. ‘Sunny place’ or ‘towards the sun’. That was exactly what he was, a bright, burning sun. Kageyama realised he’d been looking at him just a little too long to be polite interest, and hastily set the next ball. Asahi spiked it effortlessly. He was a valuable asset to the team: such power. Kageyama grew warm inside. This team would go far, especially now he was here to set to everyone. Not that Sugawara-san wasn’t a good setter, Kageyama just felt that he should be there too. Sugawara was too nice. He should shout more. Kageyama thought about this for a moment, then abandoned the whole idea. Sugawara shouting was a weird concept.  
He thought angrily of Oikawa, who said that Karasuno didn’t need him, as it was already doing so well. That arrogant bastard. Damn him. He’d beat him into the ground. Oikawa was strong –he’d been much stronger than him in high school. But Kageyama had caught up. Oikawa had it coming. And now Kageyama had some amazing people on his side, even if they were idiots off the court.  
As Asahi landed, Kageyama saw Sugawara set to Hinata. His eyes grew wide in amazement and reluctant awe as the tiny body launched itself upward to meet the ball, like a soaring crow. The ball hit the other side of the court with a sharp thud.  
So that was why he was a middle blocker.  
*  
Kageyama didn’t have a chance to even get near him all through the rest of practice – not that he tried. Hinata hadn’t seemed to have noticed him yet, preoccupied with what he was doing on the other court. Kageyama had being watching him for a while. Aside from his jump, he was also fast, and where others were panting, bent over, he was still going strong, like a bouncing, barking puppy.  
He was also excellent at fighting mid-air. However, he was a lousy receiver and wasn’t powerful. Kageyama felt gratified he wasn’t good at everything, as it was starting to get annoying. He could feel a rival in him now. They were opposites, each having what the other didn’t.  
Kageyama was glad he could think of him differently.  
Practice ended with a pep talk from Ukai and a couple of warnings about concentration. He looked pointedly at Nishinoya as he said this, who looked away, trying not to smile. Hinata hung onto Ukai’s every word like they were holy nectar, eyes wide and shining. Kageyama blushed as he looked at him. He was like a cherub. Damn. Just when he’d thought he’d been making progress. He shouted louder than the rest of them at the end, then jumped up, asking Tanaka if he wanted to do extra practice. Tanaka declined, but Asahi said he would.  
Kageyama had a moment of mild panic, as he had been planning on practicing too. Well, as long as he stayed on the other court…  
He tried to ignore the others, but Hinata’s voice was too distracting. He glanced over. Asahi was serving, and Hinata was attempting to receive. Kageyama smile evilly. He didn’t have a chance in hell at getting one of those. Asahi was a monster. Well, more of a gentle giant.  
He wheeled some balls out from the cupboard, and started practicing serves. After he’d done four, Hinata’s voice stopped abruptly and he heart the squeak of shoes against the polished floor. Were they leaving?  
They were, as it turned out, about as far from leaving as Kageyama was. He looked up, only to find Hinata staring at him from a few metres away. Kageyama, taken aback, took a step away. The only thing currently going through his mind was panic and jumbled swear words. What did he want?  
Hinata took a deep breath, frowning, his small shoulders rising. ‘You’re good, dammit.’ He took another step forward. Kageyama was suddenly angry. Was he insulting him or praising him? Hinata drew his eyebrows together further. ‘Why didn’t I notice you today?’  
Kageyama’s temper got the better of him. ‘Because you’re a dumbass.’  
‘Shut up! I was only asking a question! Anyway, what’s your name?’  
‘None of your business.’  
Hinata was undeterred. ‘I’m Hinata Shouyou! I’m a middle blocker!’  
Kageyama turned on him with his best glare that he usually reserved or when Tsukishima was pissing him off or for when he wanted to kill someone. There wasn’t much difference, actually. Hinata shrank back, making Kageyama instantly regret it. Relenting, he moved closer. ‘I’m Kageyama Tobio. A setter.’  
Hinata blinked with surprise. 'Wait, _the_ Kageyama? The genius setter?' Kageyama didn't know what to say to this, though he felt a little proud Hinata had heard of him. Luckily, Hinata carried on before he could get a word in. ‘That’s amazing!’ Then he took a deep breath with the air of someone steeling themselves for rejection. ‘Toss to me!’ Kageyama was stunned. What? He was so direct. Why did he want a toss? ‘Please!’ Hinata added hastily. Kageyama’s heart fluttered oddly. God almighty. He needed to do something about that, and fast. ‘Fine.’ He said, trying his best to sound angry and put upon. Hinata flashed his white teeth and spun away to the back of the court, like a sunflower petal on the wind. Kageyama sent his fastest toss without thinking, like his hands wanted to stop the whole thing from happening, to make the danger go away. Danger in the form of a bright, orange-haired boy. Hinata missed, then looked at Kageyama reproachfully. He opened his mouth to say something, looking annoyed, but Kageyama had already gone to get another ball to toss. Hinata smiled widely. Kageyama took deep breaths to try and settle his heart rate. It didn’t work, and he set just like before. He swore internally, but, insanely, Hinata was already there. The ball smacked down on the other side of the net. Hinata looked at him, his face glowing, as he landed next to him. ‘That was so cool!’ Suddenly, all the light went from his eyes. Almost simultaneously, Kageyama felt the same twitching sensation from his class earlier. Something moving. No, that was not his heart. A sort of darkness crossed Hinata’s face. ‘I thought I felt something earlier. There’s a shadow wraith inside you.’ ‘What?’ came Kageyama’s strangled reply. That was ridiculous. He’d never heard of that before. That couldn’t happen. And why the hell would it do that, anyway? Shadow wraiths wanted only to kill. More importantly, how the hell did he know? ‘I know it sounds crazy. But you need to believe me. I’ve seen them in people before. That’s how they start off. They do it to the strong ones – people who are mentally and physically able enough for them to use. They possess them and make them do terrible things.’ That was what had happened to his father. Kageyama didn’t want to believe it. And that kind of terminology just sounded wrong coming from someone who had started an argument earlier with Tsukishima about the correct pronunciation of a word. But Hinata looked like he’d been trying to explain to people for a long time. He had a scarily intense look in his eyes, like he really wanted to save him, like Kageyama was hanging over the edge of a cliff. When Kageyama just continued to stare at him, he looked defeated, like he’d given up. No, not defeated. Resigned. Kageyama, usually woefully ineloquent, felt the words tumbling out of his mouth. He believed him. He could feel it now, a darkness swirling in his chest. He panicked. He wanted it _out_ of him. ‘I-I saw a shadow wraith last night. It sort of… dissolved. I thought it had gone.’ Hinata looked amazed that Kageyama had even bothered to say anything, then determined to get something done. ‘No. They can only be killed by a certain kind of person. There aren’t many of them. When shadow wraiths are killed, they leave a stone behind. If it dissolved, like you said, then it’s not gone.’ On the other court, Asahi was looking at them both curiously. When he noticed Kageyama’s stare, his head snapped away. Hinata looked over his shoulder to see what Kageyama was looking at. ‘Oh. Asahi. He thinks something’s wrong. I’ll talk to him, hold on. I’ll meet you outside.’ Kageyama was very confused. He had taken Hinata to be a little immature, a brain that matched his face. Not someone who gave instructions. His first thought was to rebel, but he felt the shadow wraith flex inside him. He felt solid, dark fear. It made so much sense. The blank period from the park, when he had found himself suddenly standing outside his apartment building. His difficulty sleeping the night before.  
Kageyama found his feet taking him outside. He checked his marks instinctively, then laughed at himself. That wasn’t going to help him now he had one inside him.  
He walked a little way away from the doors, waiting in the shadows. Seconds later, Hinata burst out of them like a one-person tornado, looking around wildly. He spotted Kageyama, and gave him another blinding smile. Kageyama almost wanted to look away, but couldn’t bring himself to do it, not when Hinata looked so happy to see him. ‘I thought you’d gone!’  
Kageyama glared at him. ‘Why the hell would I do that? Apparently I’ve got a shadow wraith inside of me, and you know something about it. I want all the information I can get.’ He frowned. ‘Dumbass,’ he added, for good measure.  
‘Alright, alright,’ Hinata said, evidently annoyed. ‘Idiot. Anyway, I can do better than give you information. I can get rid of it. But –’ he said, his gaze hardening as he looked at Kageyama – ‘you have to promise not to tell _anyone_. It won’t be good for either of us if you do that. There are some bad people around.’  
Kageyama decided he didn’t want Hinata to elaborate on “bad people”. He really didn’t want to know. ‘I haven’t got anyone to tell.’  
Hinata nodded gravely. Kageyama realised something. ‘Wait, wait – so you’re one of those people you talked about? And how exactly are you going to get it out?’  
‘Uh, yeah. I suppose. And I’m not really sure how I’m going to do that. You’re a bit different to most people. Normally part of the shadow wraith sticks out. Yours is completely inside.’  
‘ _What!_ ’ Kageyama said incredulously, through clenched teeth. ‘You don’t even know? Then why – Are you an idiot?’  
No, I do know!’ Hinata exclaimed petulantly. ‘I just need to… think a bit.’  
Kageyama wondered how he had the self-restraint not to kill him. It was praiseworthy. Why had he even liked this guy?  
Hinata walked briskly around him, then his face lit up. ‘I have an idea!’ he announced, like he wanted Kageyama to applaud him.  
‘Gosh, well _done_ ’ Kageyama replied savagely.  
‘Hey, don’t be so angry! See, with other people, you just grab the bit that sticks out and pull, then get rid of the shadow wraith. It’s inside of you, so I’ll just have to put my hand inside of you!’ He looked very proud as he said this, totally unaware of how idiotic he sounded.  
‘Oh? How are you going to that? I’m not letting you cut me up, you dumbass!’  
Hinata tilted his chin upwards. ‘Just you wait.’  
He walked closer. Kageyama, perplexed, stood still. Then Hinata did something both insane and amazing at the same time. Just like he had said, he put his hand inside Kageyama. He stretched out a hand towards Kageyama’s chest, and it just kept on going. First, his fingers disappeared, then his wrist. He stopped there, and closed his eyes.  
Kageyama felt nothing in his chest apart from a slight tingling. His heart thudded heavily, however. But that had more to do with the fact that Hinata smelled like lavender shampoo and, oddly, less to do with the fact he quite literally had an entire hand in his chest.  
Suddenly, Hinata stiffened. He began to pull back his hand, the muscles in his arms bunching. With a jerk, he pulled his whole arm back and skittered backwards. Kageyama breathed in sharply as a trail of murky blackness emerged from his chest, held by Hinata. Hinata quickly let go. The blackness morphed into a lanky horror of a shadow wraith. Kageyama’s second time ever seeing one in real life, though it was the same shadow wraith.  
The shadow wraith turned towards him, it’s weirdly proportioned hands groping the air, clutching at nothingness, but advancing forward towards Kageyama. It was fast. Kageyama had no time to react.  
Hinata, thankfully, was already in action. He was surrounded by a cloud of pulsating golden light. It was extraordinarily beautiful, flashing slowly and subtly, constantly moving. At its centre was the gem, Hinata. The curling white marks on his forearms, the same as every person on Earth’s, were now glowing a dark gold and shifting around his arms likes snakes, as if they were alive. They were not as noticeable as some people’s on his pale skin, but now they were impossible to miss.  
Hinata looked like an angel, a god, terrible and beautiful in his halo of glittering gold. He sprang towards the shadow wraith, utilising all of his natural jumping ability. As soon as his hand touched its bony arm, it began to burn away, swallowed by the light. In seconds, it was gone. It had uttered not a sound. They never did.  
The only thing left was a rough black lump surrounded in the same golden light that encircled Hinata. Hinata picked it up, and pocketed it. Then he turned towards Kageyama. The beautiful light was retreating slowly into his chest. His marks ceased to writhe, and were still.  
Kageyama could only stare.  
The light was now almost gone. Hinata held out his hand. ‘Promise not to tell anyone? Let’s shake hands – it makes it official, that way.’  
Kageyama, unthinking, put forward his hand, more to see if Hinata’s hand was hot from the light than to “make it official”, as Hinata had put it. Kageyama wasn’t planning on telling anyone. They’d just think he was insane.  
As his hand touched Hinata’s, the retreating golden light shot forth again, and it arced outwards, like bolts of lightning. It plunged into the ground and up into the sky in a burst of radiance. Hinata withdrew his arm quickly, with a sharp intake of breath.  
‘What was that?’ Hinata said. ‘That’s never happened before. What did you do?’  
‘What? Nothing. I just touched your hand.’  
‘Wait. Oh. _Oh_. You – you just…’ he waved his hands as he cast about for the road. ‘You _amplified_ it. I think that’s it. How did you do it?’  
Kageyama didn’t answer, too busy thinking. What the hell? Could his life get any stranger right now? His mother showing interest in him after eighteen years, shadow wraiths inside of him and the model he had a crush on had some sort of crazy power. His head was about to implode.  
Kageyama thought back to the insanely fast toss Hinata had managed to spike. From what he had seen of Hinata so far, while he was good a fighting mid-air, he had no special attacks. There was a lot of hidden potential in him. Kageyama had just brought it out. He had, as Hinata had said, _amplified_ his power. Had he just done the same thing, but with this golden light? It seemed improbable, but at the same time… it sort of made sense.  
He explained haltingly to Hinata, feeling extremely foolish. Hinata scrutinised him. ‘Erm, well… Yeah, I see where you’re coming from, actually. But I don’t sense anything from you. In fact, I’m getting less from you than most people. It’s like you’re empty. Ah, wait!’ He looked at him excitedly. Kageyama’s heart fluttered. ‘That’s just it! You’re a vessel. Wow, I remembered that word. I should get a medal. Anyway, yeah! Because there’s nothing in you, you can draw out more form others, you can let it go through you. That’s so cool!’  
Hinata said this with the same enthusiasm that he had expressed earlier after they’d done that freak quick. Two very different things. Killing shadow wraiths and volleyball. How times had changed.  
Hinata carried on, caught up in the flow of his own bubbly brightness. ‘You’re what Kenma said! A compliment. You’re like a set. Kenma’s one too. He can sense Purgers and attract them. You can amplify their powers. A compliment to what a Purger can do.’  
Kageyama had really had enough at this point. He was tired, things were getting, if possible, even more ridiculous, and he had lots of classes tomorrow. He sighed, but asked the question anyway. ‘What’s a Purger? And why would it sound like burger if you put a B at the front?’  
‘A Purger is what I am.’ He laughed. ‘Was that a joke? I’ve never thought of that before.’  
‘No. I was just saying.’  
‘Huh. You’re boring.’  
‘No I’m not!’ Kageyama returned. Hinata was really starting to piss him off. ‘And who’s Kenma?’  
‘He’s my friend, I’ve known him for years. I met him when I helped him out a while ago. He’s really nice.’  
Kageyama huffed. He wasn’t in the habit of thanking people, but he felt that the occasion called for it. ‘I’m going home. And, uh… thanks for helping me. I’ll see you at practice.’  
And with that, he walked away.  
‘I’ll get here before you tomorrow!’  
Kageyama smiled in spite of himself. ‘Oh yeah? Want to bet, shrimp?’  
‘Hey!’  
Kageyama snickered evilly, and kept walking.


	5. Honey

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hinata and Kageyama get stuck in the gym during a storm.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologise to everyone nice enough to read this or who had been waiting, for not updating for so long. Real life has done a Chuck Norris on me, and I have been so damn busy. Anyway, as an apology, here is an absolute monster of a chapter for all you lovelies. This took me ages to write.  
> Special thanks to my favourite user - you know who you are, with your punny username. I mentioned you earlier. Thank you for being always so supportive. You are the person that got the ball rolling for me. Thanks a million, my friend.  
> Anyway, onward to the chapter! Thanks for reading!

Later on, Kageyama sat on his bed with the light on, staring into but not seeing the inky shadows cast by what little furniture he owned. He was very calm, but it was a different kind of calm than what he had experienced when facing the shadow wraith the first time. It was calm that was about to break, releasing a tidal wave of emotions and questions and anxieties and just general confusion – a huge, roiling flood of what have I just experienced?  
But for now he just sat, hunched over, flashes of fiery orange and blinding gold flitting through his mind, dizzying amounts of mental pictures of just one person. A person who had seemingly come into his life by destiny, childlike and enthusiastic and powerful. Kageyama felt like he’d never thought so much about one person before, except perhaps his mother. And that was always in short bursts. He never let a train of thought involving the word “mother” carry on for too long. He never really knew how to feel about that. Her. Sad or angry? Maybe happy? He just felt blank.  
And that always scared him a little. Kageyama always felt three things in a seemingly perpetual whirlwind of emotion: determination, confidence and annoyance. He liked it that way. They were all necessary to his daily life. He needed the anger to use on Tsukishima. And the other two were for volleyball. And sometimes (always) the third one came in when someone pissed him off on the court. He liked to think that he was able to keep it in check.  
Tsukishima was out at the moment. He’d taken one look at Kageyama’s haunted visage and smirked, saying: ‘I’ve seen that expression on other people before. I never expected it from the King. Someone’s just shocked you so bad you can’t think. What was it? Rejection? That’d be refreshing.’  
Kageyama hadn’t replied, too wrapped up in what had happened.  
Tsukishima’s eyebrows threatened to carry on up his forehead and off into space. ‘There’s something wrong with you. I’m not sticking around to see it all come out.’  
Then he’d left, taking his phone out of his pocket and his headphones off his neck.  
It happened later on, all at once. Kageyama shouted, paced, threw a volleyball at the ceiling a few dozen times, swore at an imaginary Hinata and then Tsukishima because he was sure he’d done something at some point. And then he just marvelled at everything. He’d had a shadow wraith inside him. And then a model from a magazine whom he’d had a crush on for ages came in a burst of colour and pulled it out. He might have taken a little something else, as well, though Kageyama hadn’t realised it yet.  
After that, Kageyama went to bed with the resolve to get a few more explanations tomorrow, and to win against the shrimp.  
His dreams that night were filled with gold and high-pitched laughter and for some reason a mobile phone.  
Maybe his dream was telling him to get Hinata’s number? For volleyball and shadow wraith related things, of course.  
*  
He woke up twenty minutes early so he could beat Hinata to their first morning practice. He arrived only to find that Hinata had had the same idea, resulting in them both pelting towards the door and crashing into each other in their haste to get in. Hinata laughed with delight when he won the wrestle through the doorway, and Kageyama managed a weak growl at him to shut him up. He’d only lost because he’d realised about half a second into their mini-wrestling match that he was actually touching Hinata – the most attractive person Kageyama knew, in his opinion. He let go hastily, blushing.  
Afterwards, he was annoyed. Damn those orange curls for making him lose. He was going to kiss – no, kill him one day. He needed to get on with volleyball.  
Kageyama put his head in his hands as he walked out onto the court. He’d have to go to another university.  
But he couldn’t.  
But it was essential.  
But really he couldn’t pay for it.  
Damn.  
Hinata slapped his shoulder, making him jump. ‘Haha! Don’t cry just ‘cause you lost, Bakageyama! It’s one-zero to me! And tomorrow it’ll be two!’  
Again, Kageyama found anger an excellent way of clearing his mind. ‘What did you say, Dumbass?’ He chopped Hinata’s head, then went to get the volleyballs from the cupboard. Behind him, it was suddenly very silent. ‘Dumbass. You keep saying Dumbass. Where have I heard that before?’  
Kageyama had a mini heart attack. Had he hurt his feelings? No, he can’t have done. He didn’t know Hinata that well, but he didn’t seem like the kind of person that would be offended that easily.  
Wait. He was _trying_ to hurt his feelings. Wasn’t that why he had said it? That made no sense.  
Anyway, was what Hinata talking about? Kageyama turned around and looked at him. Suddenly, a very odd expression came over Hinata’s small face, slowly then all at once. His eyes grew wider and wider, then his eyebrows scrunched over them, covering them in shadow. His head snapped up as he noticed Kageyama’s inquisitive gaze. Panicking adorably, he waved his hands in front of him as if to fend off a bear. ‘Never mind! Let’s try that thing we did yesterday again!’  
Kageyama took a deep breath in to ask him a question about his behaviour, but suddenly the words died on his tongue. He turned once more, went into the cupboard and wheeled out the trolley of balls. Today was yet another in a string of exceptionally abnormal days for Kageyama Tobio, and he was beginning to really hate them.  
The quick was going amazingly. They’d just been through what seemed like their millionth rendition of toss, spike and _bang!_ onto the other side of the court when a rush of cold air alerted them both to the presence of three other people standing just inside the doorway. They snapped their heads towards them. It was Tanaka and Nishinoya, along with Asahi, who stuck to Nishinoya like glue. Kageyama could hear the low murmur of conversation from Sugawara and Daichi standing outside.  
The three inside, however, were speechless. Kageyama felt immensely satisfied. He wanted everyone to come and praise Hinata. He was very proud of their achievement.  
Now hold on a moment, Kageyama thought. _He_ wanted praise, as well. If he was going to think of things this way then Hinata was going to get big-headed. And his head was crazy enough, anyway, with its shock of violent amber curls.  
Nishinoya was the first to speak, having collected himself the fastest. ‘Shouyou! That was amazing! What even is that? Daichi-san! Come see!’  
Tanaka, in the meantime, roared with laughter. ‘You’re like twins! We came in and you were both like –’ he did an exaggerated repeat of Kageyama and Hinata looking towards the doorway while Nishinoya kicked his ankles impatiently so Sugawara and Daichi could get in. They both looked heartily confused. Asahi, taking pity on them, tried to explain, but couldn’t be heard over the noise.  
Kageyama raised his eyebrows at Hinata. Hinata grinned back and laughed. ‘We’ll just show you, then!’ He shouted shrilly at the mess of people by the door. It seemed like there were twenty, not five. ‘Ready, Yamayama-kun?’  
Kageyama felt like he should have been annoyed at the new nickname, but he just felt flustered, and very special to have been the one that Hinata had chosen to smile at, and exchange a glance with. Though Hinata did smile at everyone.  
In response, Kageyama walked over to get another ball. Hinata cheered enthusiastically, jumping high off the ground. God, Kageyama thought. He was such a child. It was hilarious. And endearing.  
Kageyama raised his arms and looked sideways. None of them were paying attention. Suddenly, a low growling noise came cut through the shouting, like rumbling thunder. Startled, he lowered his arms. Kageyama was surprised and interested to find that the noise was coming from Daichi. There was another emotion there – fear – though Kageyama was doing his best to ignore that. Daichi’s expression at the moment was extraordinarily angry. Asahi gulped. Tanaka faltered. Nishinoya continued to bounce around, having finished abusing the backs of Tanaka’s shoes. Daichi grit his teeth.  
‘Oi! Nishinoya. They have something to show us. _Calm down_.’  
Nishinoya stopped abruptly and immediately shut his mouth, saluting Daichi respectfully a couple of times for good measure and standing aside. ‘Hinata, Kageyama, are you going to show us?’ Daichi asked. It seemed more like an order. Hinata and Kageyama for once agreed on something, collectively coming to the conclusion that doing the quick would most likely be safest option.  
Kageyama, feeling a little like he was being presided over by a large bear, a mother hen, a scary-looking but actually cowardly lion and two screeching crows, watched Hinata jump, then set to him. The ball seemed to be almost sucked into Hinata’s hand, slamming down over the net.  
The noise it made seemed to have much more than a physical impact. The gym was silent for a full second, and the noise was broken by a loud: ‘So? What did you think? Isn’t it cool?’ from Hinata and a low whistle from a smiling Sugawara.  
Daichi was speechless, mouth hanging open. He looked at the ground. You could almost see him thinking of ways to use it in a game. He massaged his temples and began muttering to himself. Sugawara poked him. Daichi looked up, smiling sheepishly. ‘Oh, yeah. That was amazing, you two! I mean, you’ve both just opened up so many possibilities for Karasuno as a team. How should we use it in a game? I think…’  
He went off muttering again. Nishinoya spread his arms out towards Hinata and Kageyama like a proud father. ‘See, didn’t I tell you?!’ he said pompously.  
Sugawara smiled gently. ‘That’s great! Well done, the both of you.’  
Kageyama felt instantly gratified. There was just something about being praised by Sugawara. It felt like a hot drink on a cold day. Hinata was practically bursting with happiness and excitement. He turned his head towards Kageyama. ‘Let’s do it again!’  
Kageyama nodded. Today was going to be a great day.  
*  
Today was going to be crap day. Kageyama had come out of his first class only to find that there was going to a blizzard later. Honestly, it felt more like winter than autumn. Evening practice was still happening, but it had been pushed to later in the day in hopes that it might have finished snowing by then so they could actually get across to the building. Kageyama was going to have to wait even longer to practice with Hinata.  
Kageyama made his way to his next class feeling like he wanted to fight someone, regretting the fact that it only took something small to change his mood from happy to irritable. He couldn’t help it, really.  
Speaking of something small… He got into his second class only to find Hinata sitting next to his usual seat. He stood up and pointed at Kageyama as soon as he started walking up the stairs to the higher level where the desk was. Kageyama looked at Tanaka and Asahi questioningly. They shrugged in unison and resumed their conversation unaffectedly. Feeling a little apprehensive, he sat down in his seat. Hinata was bouncing up and down in the chair next to him. ‘Kageyama!’ He almost shouted, drawing out the last syllable.  
‘Shut it, Dumbass! You’re too loud!’  
‘Sorry, sorry! But hey, I didn’t know you were in this class! You have to sit with me now. We need to discuss our new quick!’  
‘I’ll only sit with you if you promise to shut up. And we shouldn’t discuss volleyball during class.’  
Hinata pouted. Kageyama heart did a backflip. He cleared his throat hastily. ‘Let’s practice the quick again later, alright?’  
Hinata smiled absently, apparently thinking about something. He was sweet when distracted.  
Kageyama found himself looking at Hinata’s lips, pale pink and plump and soft, often parted over his wide smile. Kageyama blushed involuntarily.  
Hinata snapped himself back to reality, like his mine had been floating away from land in a little boat. ‘Okay! I want to see how we can make it better, too!’ He then took a bit of paper out of his pocket and stole Kageyama’s pen to write something on it. Kageyama’s irritation was pushed aside by his curiosity as he watched Hinata’s small hand scrawl across the paper. He finished with a flourish and handed the paper and pen to Kageyama. ‘It’s my number. We can talk about the quick, then. _And_ you can call me if you want to do extra practice!’ Hinata looked very proud he’d thought of that.  
Kageyama looked away quickly, cheeks hotter than before. _Hinata’s phone number_. His dream had literally come true. How strange.  
*  
It was bitterly cold outside. The kind of cold that seems to get inside you, coiling in tight knots in your bones and scaring the heat away. Kageyama longed for the warmth physical activity gave him. And he was going stir-crazy waiting longer for practice. Ukai had told them all that morning that the weather forecasting company had updated their website on the latest news. The blizzard was not going to stop, and now practice was cancelled indefinitely. Kageyama was in a foul mood. The only thing that kept him from punching something was a warm glowing feeling deep down inside him.  
Kageyama was really trying not to let it get to him, but he finally gave in, basking in it and smiling slightly. Kageyama hadn’t given much thought to what Hinata had been saying before, about him being a “vessel”. Yeah, it was insanely cool, but only when it had happened. It wasn’t something that affected his daily life, so Kageyama had gradually let it fade into the background of his mind.  
However, he now allowed himself to recall that feeling, of warm golden light going through him. Liquid happiness.  
That’s how he felt, now he had Hinata’s number.  
As soon as he’d got back, he’d wrenched his phone out of his pocket so he put Hinata in as a contact. Smirking widely, feeling very clever, he put his number under: Orange Dumbass.  
Then he felt lame: it wasn’t that funny. But its accuracy was not to be denied, so he kept it. There was no chance he was going to forget who that was. The next problem presented to him was actually contacting the “Orange Dumbass”. Kageyama desperately wanted to practice. Hinata, Kageyama thought begrudgingly, had good social skills, and would probably know someone who’d have a key to the gym. Kageyama was sure they could get there through the snow. He didn’t even need to see, as he’d already memorised what his legs needed to do to get there. It was unconscious by now.  
Even though Kageyama wanted to practice so much, he still felt nervous about actually calling Hinata. Maybe he would text him? No. God. He should just leave it for today. His hands refused to move over the keys.  
_Listen, idiot_ , he began, instantly annoying himself. What had he come to that he could actually annoy himself now? _If you want to practice that much, you have to call him._  
Kageyama sighed, looking at the snow falling outside of his window, whirling in great white eddies through the howling wind. He could barely see as it is. But Kageyama would be damned rather than let something get in the way of him and volleyball. Or more accurately, at the moment, practicing with Hinata. When it came down to it, he kind of wanted to see him.  
Steeling himself, he started a text.

To: Orange Dumbass  
From: Me  
_Do you know anyone who has a key to the gym? I want to practice. Are you coming?_

Kageyama read it over several times. After editing it nervously, he decided that there really wasn’t anything else he could do. But what about the words themselves? Was he being too formal? People didn’t really use full words now, anyway…  
Unfortunately for him, he was thinking so hard he squeezed his phone and accidentally pressed send. Kageyama had a few minutes of mild panic where he instantly shut his phone and put it under his pillow, pacing the room anxiously. He felt selfish now. He couldn’t put Hinata through the cold and snow just to practice with him. Would Hinata be annoyed he’d asked? Hinata was so small… Kageyama almost felt like he’d get blown away in weather like that.  
Less than ten minutes later, his phone buzzed. Kageyama embarrassed himself by sacrificing his dignity on favour of sliding across the room in abject haste to throw his pillow from his bed to see who the text was from.  
Hinata! It was from Hinata! Waves of excitement flooded through Kageyama. God. He was in so deep. A stupid text made him feel this happy. Another way in which he pissed himself off.

From: Orange Dumbass  
To: Me  
_u rly want 2? been dying 2 spike sometning all day thank god im not the only one. tanaka swiped a key from ukai i will get it from him hold on_

Kageyama’s phone buzzed again.

From: Orange Dumbass  
To: Me  
_lol u sound like u’re talking to the mayor btw_

 

From: Me  
To: Orange Dumbass  
_SHUT UP_

 

From: Orange Dumbass  
To: Me  
_btw do u wanna go now? cos i want 2_

 

To: Orange Dumbass  
From: Me  
_Duh_

 

From: Orange Dumbass  
To: Me  
_u dont have 2 b rude about it bakageyama_

 

To: Orange Dumbass  
From: Me  
_Look, do you want to go or not? ___

__

___To: Me_  
From: Orange Dumbass  
_fine fine_  
*  
Kageyama let out an audible sigh of relief as he half-fell through the door into the gym, then raised his eyebrows at what greeted him. Hinata had gotten there before him, but evidently hadn’t fared any better. The carrot-headed boy was collapsed a few metres away, a large bag on his back. Kageyama walked over after shutting the door behind him, looking down at Hinata’s prone form. He prodded him with his foot a couple of times just to make sure he was still alive, causing Hinata to emit a small groan and sit up. His cheeks and nose were pink from the cold, and his hair had still-melting snow in it. He looked like a summer spirit in the wrong season, with his flame-orange hair and warm eyes.  
He looked up at Kageyama, and said in a whiny voice, ‘I thought I was gonna die. Snow and volleyball don’t mix.’  
‘Stop being melodramatic,’ Kageyama replied huffily, feeling guilty. He’d been right about Hinata suffering trying to get there. But there was no way in hell he was telling Hinata that.  
Hinata stuck his tongue out in response and jumped up. ‘Let’s practice!’ He half threw his bag across the room in his excitement. When it hit the ground, it made an interesting crunchy rustling noise. Kageyama wondered what was in there. Probably snacks, knowing Hinata. Hinata stretched and shook his head. ‘It’s cold in here. Good job we’re going to be jumping and stuff, or we’d probably freeze.’ He laughed and rushed off. Kageyama raised his eyebrows again.  
He took off his coat and club jacket in preparation, then hastily put the black jacket back on again. Hinata was right. It _was_ cold. If Kageyama hadn’t known he was going to start sweating soon, he would’ve kept his coat on as well. He watched Hinata as he wheeled out the balls. He was definitely not normal, if he was just causally walking around in his t-shirt and shorts. Kageyama himself had put on trousers instead of shorts to play in, and looked at Hinata’s bare legs incredulously. The fact he wasn’t shivering right now must have something to do with how Hinata could kill shadow wraiths, Kageyama thought. That weird golden light must keep him warm, somehow.  
Kageyama put the thought from his mind and picked up a ball, nodding at Hinata, a non-verbal _are you ready?_ Hinata nodded back, and they began.  
*  
Hinata and Kageyama were both as Hinata had been before they’d started: on the floor, feeling half dead. They’d been practicing for so long, Kageyama felt like he’d entered another plane of reality. They’d put the lights on, so neither of them had realised how much time had gone by until Hinata had checked his phone when they’d both started lagging and squeaked in surprise. It had been getting dark as they’d both gone over, though it was only five in the afternoon. Now, it was eleven, stormier than ever and pitch black. When Kageyama had slid the door across to check outside, snow had fallen inward in a heap. There was no way there were going to be able to leave until it stopped, or some other miracle happened.  
By unspoken agreement, they both decided to rest. Well, less of a rest and more of a flop to the ice-cold ground. It was so chilly, Kageyama almost got up again, but couldn’t bring himself to. Plus, there was no way he was going to let Hinata win, even if Hinata didn’t get as cold as everyone else. A few minutes later, Kageyama had a nasty thought. What if the snow actually didn’t stop? What would they do then? Kageyama had gone out under the assumption that the storm had to stop at _some_ point, and hadn’t thought about what to do if it didn’t. He was now deeply regretting it. What the hell was he supposed to do if he was stuck somewhere for the night, just him Hinata? Sure, he could die from the cold, but the real problem here was the fact that he might have to alone with Hinata for several hours. Kageyama didn’t think his heart could take it.  
Hinata had been so quiet, it made Kageyama jump when he spoke. ‘I have no idea how we’re going to leave.’ He groaned. ‘Daichi is going to be so pissed if we both die in here.’ Suddenly, Hinata sat up and ran across the room to his bag. ‘I’m gonna call Nishinoya!’  
Kageyama felt relieved. At least Hinata knew people who could help them and most likely wouldn’t yell at them for practicing until eleven at night in the middle of a snowstorm. Kageyama wished, for perhaps the first time in his life, that his skill in volleyball hadn’t been the only thing he’d cultivated. Talking to people could save his life someday.  
Meanwhile, Hinata had his phone jammed to his ear, staring ahead in concentration. After a while, he dropped it and looked across at Kageyama with a haunted expression on his face. He gulped. ‘No signal. The storm’s messing with it.’ Kageyama’s heart sank. Great. He was either going to die of embarrassment at being at such a close proximity to Hinata, or he was going to die from the cold. And then Daichi and Ukai would shout at their bodies when they found them. Kageyama really didn’t want to die. He had plans for his life.  
Bizarrely, Hinata laughed. ‘Ah, well then. We’ll just have to melt it. Coming, Kageyama-kun?’ He sighed. ‘This is gonna take so _long,_ though. I’m gonna be so tired tomorrow.’ He shook his head sadly, and walked off towards the door, oblivious to what he’d just said.  
Kageyama was instantly annoyed. ‘Are you a dumbass, Dumbass? _Melt_ the snow? How the hell are you gonna do that?’  
‘I’m not gonna melt everything! Just a path so we can get through!’  
‘There’s nothing around here that burns! Are you insane?’  
Hinata looked at him weirdly. His eyes widened. ‘Oh, right! You don’t know! Well, I didn’t tell you this but I can –’ he stopped abruptly. ‘I’ll just show you. Come on.’  
Mystified and angry, Kageyama followed him to the door. Hinata opened, let some snow fall in, and then grinned at Kageyama, his hair seeming unnaturally bright against the black darkness of outside. Kageyama cocked an eyebrow and waited for Hinata to do whatever stupid thing he was about to do so he could shut the door again and try to figure out how to heat the gym up.  
Hinata looked a little disappointed at Kageyama’s unimpressed expression, and frowned. ‘Well, look, when I do this and push it out –’ Hinata’s chest glowed gold again. Kageyama stared. What was Hinata about to do? The golden light travelled down Hinata’s arm, and then detached itself from him. It hung, centimetres from his fingertips, in a pulsating metallic orb of light. And then, it burst into orange flames. Kageyama took a couple of steps back. What else could Hinata do? Surely Kageyama was dreaming, now. But the heat didn’t feel like a dream. It was very pleasant. Kageyama walked forward again as Hinata looked at him, puzzled. Hinata suddenly looked a little awkward. ‘I’m weird, aren’t I?’  
‘No.’ Kageyama said immediately, then shut his mouth with a snap. He hadn’t meant for that to come out. Kageyama felt embarrassed, and then very happy as Hinata grinned at him in gratitude. ‘Well, yeah. So, if I push it out, it starts to burn, for some reason. It won’t go out, even underwater, which was kind of freaky, the first time that happened.’ Hinata paused with a grimace, like he was remembering something unfortunate. He shook it off quickly and looked at Kageyama. ‘So, I can melt the snow with this! Let’s go!’ He turned to go outside, then stopped so suddenly Kageyama bumped into him. Kageyama was about to get annoyed when he noticed Hinata’s expression. It was colder than the snow outside, stony and eerily calm. He didn’t look like Hinata anymore.  
‘Kageyama, whatever you do right now, _don’t move_.’  
Kageyama was about to ask him what the hell was going on when he saw it. Them. There were several stick-thin figures moving in that odd jerky yet fluid fashion through the darkness, seemingly slowly, but actually very fast. Shadow wraiths. More than Kageyama had ever seen before. He didn’t know that they could appear in groups. Taking Hinata’s advice, he stood stock still.  
‘Uncover your marks,’ Hinata whispered, ‘then turn around and walk further inside.’  
‘No,’ Kageyama said for the second time, wondering why. Hinata’s head snapped to him.  
‘Those are shadow wraiths! They’ll kill you, you idiot!’  
It was very strange, Kageyama thought, that Hinata was the one being sensible this time.  
‘You’re just going to run after them, aren’t you?’ Kageyama asked. Not waiting for an answer, he went on, ‘I’ll come with you. Maybe I can do that thing I did before, and make your light stronger.’  
Hinata just looked at him. ‘You have no idea how to fight them! You’ve never done this before!’ Hinata took a deep breath, squared his shoulders and looked Kageyama straight in the eyes. ‘Until we can work something out together, you’ll just slow me down.’  
Kageyama felt like he’d just been punched in the chest, genuinely hurt. He would’ve got annoyed at anyone else who’d said that, but he’d never have expected that from Hinata. Never. Hinata the idiot, an athletic one, true, but an idiot nonetheless. Hinata who needed his help for the quick. Hinata whom he had a crush on. Kageyama felt, more than anything, the sharp sting of betrayal. As he stared down at Hinata’s small face in shock, it changed. Hinata looked incredibly guilty.  
Without another word, he stepped out of the door… and up to his knees in snow. He stepped forward laboriously, grim faced, as he walked to meet the approaching figures. Kageyama wanted to tell him to stop. Suddenly, Hinata turned and charged back the way he came, and shut the door behind him. It was very quiet now the moan of the wind had been cut off. Hinata shook the snow from his calves and looked at Kageyama sheepishly. ‘I can’t kill them like that. The snow will slow me down.’ He looked away, down, anywhere, not meeting Kageyama’s eyes.  
Kageyama let out a breath he hadn’t known he’d been holding. This time, Hinata looked at him. His face was written all over with feelings of regret and apology. Kageyama wanted to look away. He felt like he couldn’t trust him anymore. Unexpectedly, Kageyama felt hands on his shoulders. Small hands. ‘Kageyama…’ Hinata’s bright brown eyes met Kageyama’s deep blue ones. ‘I’m sorry. I didn’t mean that.’ Hinata blushed, looking embarrassed. He took his hands off his shoulders hurriedly.  
The growing cold in Kageyama melted away. He smiled. A real, genuine smile, projecting all the warmth he felt out into the bitter cold of the room. Hinata looked very shocked, then grinned back at him. ‘I didn’t know you could smile, Yamayama-kun.’  
‘Shut up, Dumbass.’  
Hinata grinned once more, then was all business again. ‘The shadow wraiths will be here within the next few seconds. They won’t be able to get in if I’m in here, but they’ll probably stay out there until morning. Maybe even after that. Either way, we’re stuck.’  
This was the point where Kageyama would have suggested volleyball, but he was now extremely tired. His eyelids felt heavy. And, for once, he didn’t really feel like it. Not with spindly black monsters outside, itching to kill them.  
Hinata, however, didn’t seem deterred. He picked up his bag and smiled at Kageyama sunnily. He seemed like he was smiling more than ever in the past few minutes. ‘It’s a good thing I have this! Tanaka made me bring it when he gave me the key.’ Hinata unzipped the top of the bag, and wrenched out a large black mass of fabric of some kind. Kageyama watched, entertained, wondering if it was a tent or a very large jacket. It turned out to be, to Kageyama’s infinite surprise, an absolutely massive sleeping bag, with a built-in pillow. It looked like you could fit more than one person in there. Hinata watched Kageyama’s reaction attentively. ‘He said this is what him and Nishinoya-san watch movies in, and to be careful cause there might be popcorn at the bottom.’  
Kageyama was confused. ‘So…why did he give it to you?’  
Hinata frowned. ‘It was actually because he thought I might get stuck.’  
Kageyama raised his eyebrows. ‘Huh. Tanaka was actually right about something.’  
‘Rude!’  
‘I’m just saying.’  
‘Don’t let Tanaka here you “say” that.’  
‘Shut up and get in your damn sleeping bag.’  
‘Fine, fine. I was going to sleep anyway. I’m tired – hey, you know what? We’re gonna be the first ones here for morning practice!’  
Kageyama actually died a little inside. ‘Only cause we’re gonna sleep here, idiot.’  
‘Don’t be mean!’  
‘I’m stating a fact.’  
‘Oh my _God._ ’ Hinata said loudly, exasperated. He stiffened, suddenly. ‘Kageyama…’ Kageyama, noticing immediately something was wrong, spoke up.  
‘What? What is it?’  
‘The shadow wraiths got here a few seconds ago, and like I thought, they can’t get in, but now they’re sort of… walking around, I suppose. Like they’re trying to find another way in.’  
Kageyama thought for a moment. ‘Well, they can’t get in anyway. There’s a window in the equipment cupboard, but I shut that so it would stay warmer in here.’  
‘No, I’m not worried about that. They wouldn’t be able to get in even if it was open. What I’m worried about is how they all seem to be bunching together.’  
Kageyama looked at him questioningly, waiting for an explanation.  
Hinata’s eyes widened as he came to a sudden realisation. ‘Kageyama, could you walk down the room a bit, away from the cupboard?’  
‘Why?’  
‘I’m trying to test something.’  
Sighing, Kageyama obliged, feeling stupid. He jogged down to the end, stopped, and turned, looking at Hinata. Hinata was staring at the ground, a cold expression on his face. ‘Kageyama!’  
‘What?’  
‘They’re following you. I get it now! They want to get rid of you first, because you make me stronger!’  
‘How’d you get that from a load of shadow wraiths following me around? Maybe I’m just easier to kill than you,’ Kageyama said, as he walked back towards Hinata.  
‘No, it’s not that. It’s something else. And I’ve been thinking about you.’  
Kageyama’s heart did a weird backflip. Hinata had been _thinking_ about him?  
‘Listen. When I got here, I looked around campus and stuff, to try and find which places would have more shadow wraiths. All the darker places, normally, but not the park. Shadow wraiths like to hand around buildings, ‘cause it’s easier to hide and there are more people to hunt. So that shadow wraith being in the park was kind of weird. No one really goes that way to get home, either. Shadow wraiths aren’t stupid.’ Hinata looked at Kageyama with a worried expression. ‘Are you sure that you haven’t seen any other shadow wraiths before? Do you have anything to do with shadow wraiths at all? Because… it was like that one was waiting for you.’  
Kageyama received a huge mental blow to the chest. _Waiting_ for him? Why would it want that? Kageyama thought for a moment. _Oh, God…_  
‘My mum’s the head of the SWEO.’  
‘ _What._ What? Are you serious? The head of the Shadow Wraith Eradication Organisation?’  
Kageyama was quite impressed Hinata actually knew what that stood for. That, as well as his logical reasoning earlier, were really ruining Kageyama’s view of Hinata as a giant dumbass. He also felt a little awkward. He hadn’t expected that kind of reaction from him.  
‘Yeah, I’m serious.’  
‘ _How_ are you still alive? You should’ve had every shadow wraith there is after you since you were born. They’d do anything to get rid of the son of the person who’s in charge of fighting them.’  
Hinata made it sound so dramatic. Plus, the thought of Kageyama’s mother actually being affected by Kageyama getting killed by a shadow wraith was an odd one. Though there had been that phone call… Kageyama hadn’t said anything else about shadow wraiths to his mother since then. He just couldn’t seem to get it out of his mind that she’d just dismiss him, due to being busy.  
But that was an interesting point, however. Why hadn’t they ever gone after him before?  
Hinata continued on. ‘ _And_ you’re a vessel! That makes you even more dangerous to them.’ He shook his head. ‘I don’t get it.’  
Kageyama thought for a moment. ‘You know, my mum never used to say anything about her real job to anybody. All our neighbours thought she was a lawyer. And I always kept my marks uncovered. There’s no reason why the shadow wraiths could’ve even known about me, really.  
‘They have ways of finding things out,’ said Hinata, darkly. ‘But I understand what you mean.’  
‘But they’re following me now. Is it because I didn’t know I was this “vessel” thingy before, and now I do?’  
‘Maybe.’ Suddenly, Hinata yawned and scratched his head. ‘They can’t get in, anyway. I’m going to sleep. I’ll think about this in the morning.’  
Kageyama felt a little disappointed. It had sort of been nice, having a full conversation with Hinata, even if it had been about why Kageyama hadn’t yet been killed by monstrous ghost creatures. Mentally sighing, he went to find something to cover himself up with. He got about ten steps before he heard a rustling noise as Hinata got into the sleeping bag and a: ‘where are you going?’  
‘To find something warm to sleep under. What d’you think?’  
‘There’s a sleeping bag literally right here, Bakageyama.’  
It took Kageyama’s brain a few seconds to process what Hinata had just said before he let out a strangled, ‘What?’  
‘Can’t you hear from over there? Come in the sleeping bag. Tanaka said it’s actually for three people, but Nishinoya-san hogs all the space. I wonder where he got this…’  
Kageyama felt the low, heavy, dull pain of dread deep within his heart, but at the same time the sharp buzz of electric excitement. In a sleeping bag. With an orange-headed idiot. Who was also completely gorgeous – with photographic proof from a few dozen issues of _Miyagi Sport_. Kageyama, slowly, as if he were in a dream, turned and walked back towards Hinata.  
Hinata tilted his head. ‘Why are you looking at me like that?’  
‘I’m not looking at you like anything, Dumbass.’  
Hinata stuck his tongue out at him for the second time that day.  
Kageyama climbed into the sleeping bag, hesitantly, one leg at a time, feeling like his body was turning to stone and melting at the same time. Hinata seemed blissfully unconcerned, but then Kageyama couldn’t see his face, as he was tucked down far into the giant sleeping bag, his small stature emphasised by the sleeping bag’s voluminous folds. Kageyama was so tense he almost didn’t feel the warmth of it as he lay down. He told himself to calm down repeatedly, which only served to make him panic more. Finally, he realised that Hinata would probably realise something was wrong if he didn’t settle down. This fear worse than being in close proximity to Hinata, Kageyama pulled the sleeping bag up, shuffled as far away from Hinata as he could get within the sleeping bag – this was totally not awkward _at all_ , no – and tried to make his heartbeat slow.  
Hinata.  
Hinata.  
Fluffy hair so much easier to see now he was laying right next to him, every golden-orange strand glistening in the very faint moonlight. The skin of the back of his neck was pale and smooth and soft-looking. Kageyama had to resist the urge to touch it. And the slow, heavy breathing, high-pitched and breathy. Hinata slept curled up in a ball like a kitten. Kageyama felt his heart slowly combusting.  
And it was so warm. He was so grateful to be out of the cold of the gym. Kageyama’s cheeks burned as he realised that this heat he was enjoying came from none other than Hinata.  
Hinata.  
Hinata.  
Kageyama had never asked him about his modelling job. He’d been too nervous, and embarrassed to admit that he even knew Hinata did model. But Kageyama really wanted to know. He wanted to know so many things about Hinata.  
Did he ever brush his hair?  
If so, what kind of brush did he use? Was he never able to tame it? (Kageyama hoped he never would).  
What were his parents like? Did he have siblings?  
How did he find out he could kill shadow wraiths? What things had Hinata seen that made his small, happy face suddenly turn dark, like it was being caressed by a shadow?  
Was he the only one in his family that short?  
Was there…any sort of chance he’d ever like Kageyama back?  
Kageyama knew the answer to that one. No.  
He pushed that thought away. Hinata was his, for these few short hours, in their own small world of the gym and the sleeping bag.  
Kageyama glanced up at the windows, looking for shadow wraiths. Nothing. He felt safe, with Hinata.  
He shivered slightly against the cool floor. It was warmer closer to Hinata. Ever so slightly, he moved, then…  
Ever so slowly…  
Drifted off to sleep.  
‘Night, Kageyama,’ said a small voice, strangely tight, like it was nervous.  
Kageyama didn’t hear. He was dreaming of orange and flames and gold. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please tell me about any mistakes or typos, so I can correct them! Also, sorry for the lack of italics where there should be, or random italics where there shouldn't. Someone was kind enough to mention I should rich text, I forget who it was, but I really can't seem to get my head around it. I cheat by writing on a word document and pasting it here, which presents some normally fixable but extremely annoying problems, and others that I have no idea how to fix. I hope you excuse that :)

**Author's Note:**

> Feedback appreciated :D


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